Mystic Force: A New Beginning
by MF 22
Summary: Crossover with Samurai. It's 2012, and the Master has returned. He's attacking Panorama. A group of Ninjas must rise to defeat him. Can Panorama handle two threats and Ranger teams? Rated strong T for language and violent content. Rating may change later in the story. Collaborative work with Butterfly Dreamer767.
1. Chapter 1

**Mystic Force: A New Beginning**

**Prologue**

**Shiba House**

The Samurai Rangers were buys training when their gap sensor went off. They went over to find their Mentor Ji looking over a map, where he told them the disturbance was down in a rock quarry. Just as the Rangers were about to leave, Mentor stopped them. "Wait! Something's wrong here." Jayden turned back, his frown evident. "What do you mean?" Ji looked up from the map, confusion evident on his face. "These readings are different. They aren't your normal readings. Something's different. Keep your guard up." Jayden nodded, and the team went down to the rock qurry.

**Rock quarry**

The Samurai Rangers were carefully scanning the rock quarry for any sign of Nighlok activity. The sensor was rarely, if ever, wrong, but there was something off. Their Mentor's words put Jayden on edge. Suddenly, a large purple symbol appeared on the ground, and a large group of bizarre looking creatures appeared. The creatures appeared to be wearing brown and white cloth, and their large, yellow eyes were located on the sides of their hole-ridden skulls, and their jaws were exposed. The creatures almost looked skeletal, with no muscle being visible. The Yellow Samurai shrunk back a bit as she saw the creatures. "What are _those,"_ she shrieked. The Red Samurai merely shrugged. "I don't know, but they're trouble." The creatures started to close in on the Rangers, who were about to morph. Just as they got their morphers out, a red blur shot past them straight towards the creatures, which had started to get knocked around like bowling pins. The blur stopped, and the Samurai Rangers were able to get a look at their benefactor. They gasped as they saw a Red Ranger standing there. The Ranger appeared to be wearing a red cape with a flame enclosed in a gold circle on the back. The cape was connected to a triangle shaped cloth on the front of the uniform, with a black and gold stripe extending from the front to the back. The same stripes appeared on the front of the uniform, going from the Ranger's shoulders down to his boots, which had a similar stripe going around the top. The Ranger's gloves also had the stripe going around, and he was wearing a gold belt with a strange marking as the clip. The Ranger had a Katana resting across his shoulders, just behind his neck. "Anybody you know, Jayden," the Pink Ranger asked. Jayden could only mutely shake his head, still in shock. The Ranger leapt back into battle, and quickly defeated the creatures, which had then fled back through a symbol that had appeared on the ground. The Ranger turned around, and the Samurai Rangers saw the mark of a flame on his helmet. The Ranger demorphed, and the Samurai Rangers noticed that the mysterious Ranger was wearing a black leather uniform with red piping and had a mask, also with dark red and orange piping, covering most of his face, leaving only the eyes visible. The Samurai guessed the Ranger was about 6'3, and was powerfully built. A flame was etched into the uniform just above the left breast. _"A Ninja?!"_ The same thought was running through the minds of the Samurai team. The Ninja started to walk past the Samurai team. Jayden managed to grab the Ninja's arm, as he asked, "Who are you?" The Red Ninja slightly turned his head towards his Samurai counterpart, and said, "In the fullness of time." He shrugged Jayden's hand free, and in the blink of an eye, he disappeared into the forest. Antonio blinked. "Wow, not even I can move that fast," he muttered. "What just happened," Emily asked. Jayden shook his head. "I have no idea. But I have a feeling we'll be seeing him again, very soon…"


	2. Chapter 1: Reactions

**Disclaimer:** Neither I nor Butterfly Dreamer767 own Power Rangers. Only the characters, events, and places not found in Mystic Force or Samurai.

**AN1:** The Samurai chapters are written by Butterfly Dreamer767. It will be one Mystic Force chapter, then one Samurai chapter, etc.

Chapter 1: Reactions

The rangers returned to the Shiba house, still confused about what they had just seen. They met Ji waiting anxiously for them at the gate.

"Well? What happened?" Ji demanded.

The rangers looked at each other. Finally Jayden spoke up. "There was this creature, but it was definitely not a Nighlock. Nor was it one of Master Xandred's foot soldiers. I have never seen anything like it before."

"So did you defeat it?" Ji pressed.

"Not exactly-"

"There was this other Red Ranger!" Mike interrupted suddenly. "He had a wicked suit and totally kicked butt! He came out of nowhere and took down those creatures like that!" He snapped his fingers to emphasize his point.

Ji visibly paled. "A Red Ranger?" He finally asked.

"Yes." Mia nodded. "We think he was a Ninja." She explained what had happened at the quarry, also describing to Ji the suit the ranger had worn.

Ji seemed to relax a bit. "A Ninja? Are you sure?" He was met with five nods. "Well, that's odd. As far as I know, no other Power Ranger teams are active right now. I thought Xandred was the only threat to earth."

"Unless Xandred has new minions, I don't think he's involved." Kevin replied.

Ji gazed thoughtfully into the distance. "Let's go back inside. I want to consult the ranger books- perhaps they have something in them I've overlooked. I'm sure we'll find our answer there." He stepped aside to let the rangers file into the house. Before Jayden could enter, Ji stopped him and asked in a low voice, "You don't think it's-"

"No." Jayden answered quickly. "It couldn't have been. We would have heard something, right?"

"I don't know. I haven't heard a word for several months now."Ji closed his eyes slowly. "Xandred is powerful, true, but he is nowhere near to what he will become. The endgame hasn't even started."

"You… you won't tell the others of your suspicions, will you?" Jayden slowly asked.

"I don't see the need to. It's highly unlikely that this Red Ranger is she. What bothers me is the fact that I know nothing about this." Ji replied. "I need to re-read the history books, call a few friends. We don't know if this ranger is working by himself, or if he has a team. We don't know where he's from, or the enemies he's fighting. We need answers, and we need them now."

Jayden and Ji headed inside. The rest of the rangers had all taken chairs in the briefing room and were waiting for their mentor and leader. Ji walked through the room and entered a side room which contained manuscripts and documents from all the past ranger teams. He pulled out a book, and started reading. Jayden flopped down on the couch. This was going to take a while- it took a long time to go through all those books. Ji had required him to read all the past ranger teams' histories a few years ago- needless to say it had taken the better part of his summer. Ji didn't know what he was looking for either. _"We need answers now_,_"_ Jayden thought, _"but I don't think we'll get them."_

One by one the rangers left the room to go do other things. Soon, just Emily and Jayden remained in the briefing room. Emily twirled her morpher in her hands, trying to think of something to do to alleviate her boredom. Across the room, Jayden was staring at the ceiling as if it held the answer to all of his questions. Emily wondered why he seemed so bothered. Jayden had been uncharacteristically silent since they had seen that Red Ranger. He was worried about something but Emily had no idea what that could be.

"Hey guys?" Mia stuck her head into the room. "Could you go pick up some food from the store? We're running low, and I had a great idea for dessert tonight."

"Sure Mia." Emily replied, trying not to worry about what concoction she would have to stomach for dinner. Accepting the list Mia handed her, she turned to Jayden. "You coming?"

Jayden looked up, startled. "Sure." He got up quickly and followed Emily out the door.

The trip to the store was rather uneventful. Except for the occasional comment, Jayden and Emily remained silent. Jayden still seemed bothered, and Emily didn't want to pepper him with questions- although she was burning with curiosity. Who was that red ranger? Why where Ji and Jayden worried? All these questions led to more questions, questions Emily wanted the answers to. But she kept her silent, confident that if she needed to know something, Jayden would tell her.

They were at the checkout counter when Emily got a strange feeling. Looking around, she noticed through the window a boy and a girl standing across the street. The yellow-clad female was gesturing wildly as she talked to her red-clad companion. She finally put her hands on her hips and glared at the boy. The boy shrugged and shoved his hands in his jacket pockets. This earned him another glare from the girl. Emily watched another boy and two girls walk up to the pair. One of the girls, who wore purple, seemed to be earnestly pleading with the two. The boy, who was dressed in green, put a hand on the pair's shoulders and spoke to them with a serious expression. Suddenly, his face broke into a grin and he said something that made the girls laugh and the other boy relax. The third girl, who wore blue, nodded as the boy in green continued. Emily would have thought nothing of it, but, despite the distance, the group of teens seemed to have this air that seemed recognizable, but didn't have a name. There was something about this group that was familiar, but Emily couldn't put her finger on it.

"Do you know them?" She asked Jayden as they left the store. Jayden glanced down the street at the teens and shrugged.

"I don't think so. Why, do you know them?"

"No. They just seem…" Emily paused. "I get this feeling that I should know them, but I haven't seen them before in my life."

Jayden shrugged again. The two continued back to the house in silence. They had almost reached the Shiba residence when Emily stopped. "Jayden? Are you alright? You seem… worried about something."

Jayden glanced at her. "Yeah. I'm fine, Em."

Emily hated herself for her next question, but she had to ask. "You would tell us if something was the matter, right?"

Something- guilt? - flashed in Jayden's eyes, but it was quickly gone. "Yeah. I would." He finally replied softly.

"You can trust us, Jayden. You can trust me." _"After all, we trust you."_

Jayden quickly nodded, then began walking again. Emily followed. She did trust her leader, but sometimes she felt that Jayden was holding something back, something that bothered him. It's probably none of your business Emily scolded herself.

Still, she couldn't help but wonder what secrets Jayden Shiba was keeping.

_"There's no way. It can't be her."_ Jayden finally decided. He had spent that day arguing with himself over who that red ranger could have been. He finally was convinced that it wasn't her, but then who was it?

They were eating the dinner that Mia had prepared, which was still not what he would call edible, but it was better than what she had cooked three weeks ago. _"At least she makes an effort. At least she's not afraid of what her teammates think,"_ a tiny voice chided him. He clenched his fist. They could not find out. His team must not know his secret. He felt terrible for lying to Emily earlier, but some things could not be told to others.

Ji joined them at the table. "Did you find anything?" Mike asked him.

Ji shook his head. "So far, nothing. No references or information that could relate to what you told me earlier."

"Do you want any help?" Kevin offered.

"Thank you for the offer Kevin, but no. You need to focus on your training. We can't forget that Master Xandred is still our number one problem." Ji sighed. "I just don't know what to think about this new Ranger."


	3. Chapter 2: Gathering the team and intros

**Disclaimer:** Neither I nor Butterfly Dreamer767 own Power Rangers. Only the characters, events, and places not found in Mystic Force or Samurai.

**AN1: **This is a very long chapter. It turned out to be over 26 pages, so it'll take awhile to read.

Chapter 2: Gathering the team and introductions

The Red Ninja headed back through the forest to his home, located not far from the quarry where he just fought. He knew the Samurai Rangers want to know what's going on, and he was fine with that. They would eventually cross paths anyway, so he might as well get it out of the way quickly. But first, he needed to summon his team. He strode towards the massive estate his family owns, where the Fire Ninja Academy was housed. He stopped, waiting for the inevitable. A sentry leapt down in front of the Red Ninja and challenged him. The Ninja took two fingers, and drew his family's symbol in flames. The sentry then nodded, acknowledging the symbol of the Ninja's clan, then disappeared in the blink of an eye, back at his post in the trees. The Red Ranger walked through the cherry wood gates that led to his estate.

The Mentors of the Mystic Force team were waiting for the Red Ranger as he approached his family's house. "I see the Hidiacs have graced us with their appearance," the older Mentor said. The Red Ranger merely nodded, and took out a device that looked like a cell phone. The device had the same symbol that was on the Ranger's belt. He pointed it towards the sky and concentrated. Pink, Yellow, Blue, Green, Purple, Gold, and White colors shot out of the device and went several different directions.

**Wind Ninja Academy- Blue Bay Harbor**

Three students were standing before Sensei Watanabe, with their respective Senseis standing behind him. The students were Mariko Yamaguchi, Haruna Ishido, and Naomi Sato, the Sky, Earth, and Water Ninjas, respectively. They had been summoned from their schools in Japan to Blue Bay Harbor a year ago to further their training in the US and prepare for their roles as the new Pink, Yellow, and Blue Mystic Force Power Rangers. All the teachers were very proud of the Ninjas, who were far beyond Senseis Clark, Brooks, and Hanson in skill. They'd been training their entire lives, so it was to be expected. The Senseis merely helped hone their abilities, and tried to teach them as much as they could about being Rangers. Suddenly, three small Pink, Yellow, and Blue lights showed up and hovered above the students' heads. The lights dissipated, and small scrolls dropped down into their hands. "Well," Sensei Watanabe stated, "this is it. Your moment has come. Remember your training, do your best, and you will do fine. You will bring honor to your clans and the school." He smiled warmly at the Sky, Water, and Earth Ninjas who were about to embark on a perilous journey. "You have your new Ninja Ranger morphers. Keep them close by at all times. We wish you all the best of luck."

The three junior Senseis stepped forward and said their goodbyes to their respective student. Sensei Tori Bradley, formerly Hanson, had to give some extra encouragement to her young charge Naomi, who was always a bit timid at first. The former Water Ninja Ranger wished her husband Hunter was there, as he knew how to coax Naomi out of her shell. The former Crimson Thunder Ranger and current head Sensei of the Thunder Ninja Academy seemed to have a gift with Water Ninjas, a fact not lost on Tori, who loved to tease him about it. Even his brother Blake, the former Navy Thunder Ranger and Academy graduate, liked to tease Hunter about how he managed to charm Tori better than Blake ever could. But Hunter had to teach his students at the moment, so it didn't matter now that he was not here. Naomi was going to finish what her mother started, and Tori was sure this time the Rangers would be successful. A car honked its horn, reminding the Rangers, former and present, that they had to get a move on. The new Rangers sighed and picked up their small suitcases. They knew all they needed to bring was some small personal effects and their clothes, since the place they'd be staying at had everything they'd need. They headed out to the car, and the Fire Ninja pulled off once the others were situated. The members of the Wind Academy were nervous, yet also excited about becoming Rangers at long last. They just hoped they would be good enough to do what their parents and the former Briarwood based Rangers could not.

**Forest Ninja Academy- Angel Grove**

Deep in the woods, Kai Oshiro, a Forest Ninja, was currently going through his kata, trying to get it right. He knew that he was a good fighter, but he's not as good as he could be. It wasn't for lack of trying on his part. He was simply better with the more passive abilities of the Forest Ninja, such as healing plants or tracking down an opponent in the woods. Always the goof, though, he always tried to pull pranks on his fellow Ninjas, who got a kick out of his antics. They were sometimes a little crass, but he never did anything out of malice, so the others let those tricks slide, for the most part. Kai sighed as he picked up a towel and wiped the sweat off his head. He knew it was almost time to finish what his father started, and the self-proclaimed comic book king was thrilled to become a Ranger. But he also knew that Red Rangers were much more serious than Green Rangers tended to be. He knew he probably shouldn't pull any tricks on his soon-to-be leader. He just hoped the Red Ranger would understand his predicament. Suddenly a Green ball of light showed up and hovered above his head. It dissipated, and a small scroll fell into Kai's hands. He opened the scroll and sighed. It was time. Fortunately he had already packed his belongings and the small Academy had a goodbye party last night for the class clown. Sensei had given Kai the Forest Strom morpher, just in case it might be needed. She instructed Kai to always keep it close at hand, and hugged her pupil. Kai would miss the gentle Forest Sensei; she never judged him, or looked down upon him. Kai rolled up the scroll and got his small suitcase from the Academy. He looked back at Sensei, who nodded and smiled. He smiled back, and left the forest. Just outside the forest stood a Fire Ninja who was standing at attention by a car. The Fire Ninja nodded towards the new Ranger, and gestured towards the car. The Green Ranger got in, and the car took off to Kai's destiny.

**Monochrome Ninja Academy- Crossworld City**

Deep in the forest of Crossworld City, Makoto Nakamura and Yamato Hayabusa, the soon-to-be Purple Darkness and Gold Light Rangers respectively, were engaged in an intense sparring match with their respective Senseis. Neither the pupils nor the teachers were giving an inch to the other, and nobody would have it otherwise. The Purple and Gold Mystic Rangers relished sparring; they couldn't get enough of it. And, they rationalized, the more they spar, the better they get. That can only be a good thing for when they become Rangers. They knew the time was close at hand, and had already packed their suitcases. Sure enough, two Purple and Gold lights flew to them, just above their heads. They looked up at the lights, which had soon dimmed and dropped small scrolls into their hands. They unfurled the scrolls, which had confirmed what they suspected: It was time. Their Senseis looked to their protégés and nodded, indicating that they knew. The Rangers were already given the Purple and Gold Darkness and Light morphers, respectively. They were told to keep them close by at all times, for they never knew if the time would come for them to use the Ninja Ranger powers. The two Ninjas gathered their suitcases and left the Academy. They took one last look at their home of a year, and turned back to the trail. Once they got outside the forest, they saw a Fire Ninja waiting by a car. She nodded to the two Rangers, who approached and got into the vehicle. The car took off, and the two Rangers were anxious to get things underway.

**Ice Ninja Academy- Stone Canyon**

Deep inside the forest of Stone Canyon stood the Ice Ninja Academy. There, Kasumi Hanaori, an Ice Ninja, was busy creating ice sculptures. The more elaborate the sculpture, the better control she knew she had of her Ice powers. She had just finished breaking some marble slabs, testing her resolve. Her ice sculpture was almost complete when she suddenly faltered, and the sculpture collapsed.

"_Damnit,"_ she swore loudly.

Kasumi's Sensei was watching nearby and shook her head. "How many times must I tell you to mind your temper?"

"Sorry Sensei," Kasumi sighed. "I don't know why I can't get this right."

"It's because you have yet to be at peace with who you are, and what you are meant to do. You are the daughter of the Ice Ranger, and must carry on your mother's work."

Kasumi groaned. "That's the problem! My whole life was planned out for this moment. I wasn't given the chance to have a normal life. I wasn't given a choice in all this. It was thrust upon me! I don't even know if I'll be any good!" The soon-to-be White Ranger hung her head, and Sensei could see she was trying to fight back the tears that were gathering in her eyes. She gave a sad smile.

"I know you'll do well. All you have to do is remain true to yourself. Don't try to be how your mother was. And try to maintain balance. Part of the problem is that all you do is train. A Ninja must always maintain a balance in life, or you'll never obtain true mastery of your element. Let your heart out for once, and actually experience life. You'll be surprised what you might find," she finished winking at the Ranger.

Kasumi listened intently to her Sensei, and was feeling better about. She knew Sensei was right, as always. As a good friend of Kasumi's family, Sensei saw Kasumi struggle with her destined path. She knew Kasumi yearned to be able to just be able to play with kids her age, and grow at her own pace. But such was not in the cards. Her parents always tried to get her to enjoy life, but she stubbornly did nothing but train. They knew she was trying to make them proud, but she couldn't see they'd always be proud of her. It broke their hearts to see their beautiful daughter so miserable, knowing that they've yet to be able to get her to open up and just be a kid. Kasumi's Sensei also tried, but to no avail. She secretly hoped and prayed that being a Ranger would help Kasumi find peace with herself. Perhaps she could even find someone to love, which would be a big help to her.

Suddenly, a White ball of light appeared above Kasumi, which dissipated and a small scroll fell into her hands. She sighed as she unfurled the scroll and read it. It was time. She got her suitcase, which was already packed. Sensei stood in front of Kasumi, and gave her a hug. Kasumi cried, as she was still unsure of herself, and everything. Sensei rubbed Kasumi's back, and said soothing words to her, hoping to calm her down. It eventually worked, and Kasumi pulled back. Sensei gently picked up her left hand, which had the Ice Storm morpher, reminding her that she was always just a morpher call away. Kasumi smiled and hugged her family friend once more. She picked up her suitcase and left. She turned and took one last look at the Academy and turned back toward the path. Just outside the forest stood a Fire Ninja waiting by a car. She saw the White Ranger and nodded, gesturing towards the car. The White Ranger sighed and got in. The car took off, and Kasumi hoped her Sensei's faith in her would not be misplaced.

**Three hours later- Panorama City**

The cars holding the new Rangers stopped by the rock quarry, and the Fire Ninjas told the Rangers that they were instructed to wait here. They would deliver the suitcases to their new home, but the Rangers were to remain here. Once the Rangers got out of the vehicles, they pulled off. The Rangers looked around, taking in their surroundings.

"So…" Haruna started, clearly uncomfortable about being left in the middle of nowhere. "What do we do now?"

"I'll settle for knowing where we are," the Water Ranger said quietly. She took a look around, and saw a path leading further down into the quarry. "Maybe we can get a better look down there," she said, pointing to the path.

Mariko turned to Naomi and smiled. "That's a good idea. We probably should go." The Sky Ninja led them towards the path, and they carefully descended, making sure not to slip. Once they reached the bottom, they could see the nearby forest seemed to go on forever. The Blue Ranger turned to the lake, which they were right by. She smiled brightly, and Mariko was glad. It's been a long time since she saw Naomi actually be happy.

"Hey, maybe there's a beach nearby. Maybe we could go there, after we get settled in?" The Water Ninja had a distant look on her face, clearly entranced by the peaceful waves, her element calling her. Just as Naomi was about to walk closer to the water, Mariko put a hand on her shoulder.

"Sorry, but we don't have time," the Sky Ninja said. Naomi looked down sheepishly.

"Don't worry. We'll find some time for you to go to the beach. It'll be good for furthering your training, anyway."

Naomi smiled at that. Mariko and Haruna always knew how to cheer her up. They were the only ones who never judged her, aside from her teachers back in Japan, and Sensei Bradley. She frowned. "Don't look now," Naomi said as she and Mariko walked back towards the group. "But we're being watched."

"Yeah, we sensed it, as well," Haruna said. "Right above us, looking down. My guess is it's the active Ranger team here, and they're trying to figure out why we're here."

A purple symbol appeared on the ground, and a tall warrior in blue and purple armor appeared. He was carrying a shield that had a sword embedded in its top. Numerous foot soldiers appeared and stood by the mystery warrior. The Ninjas took a close look at this mysterious warrior, and knew his presence could not mean anything good.

**Shiba House, same time**

The sensor went off again, as the Rangers were sparring. They ran into the living room, where the map was pulled up.

"Your favorite spot, Rangers," Mentor sighed.

Jayden rolled his eyes, knowing it was the bloody quarry again. _"What is it with monsters and rock quarries?"_ "Let's go." They teleported out of the house to the quarry.

**Rock quarry**

The warrior slowly pulled his sword from the shield, and pointed it at the Ninjas. "I am Koragg, the Knight Wolf. I claim this realm in the name of the Master!"

"Finally, some action!" That came from Makoto, as she and Yamato immediately jumped into the pile of foot soldiers, and began the attack. The other Rangers weren't about to idly stand by while the Purple and Gold Rangers were getting swarmed. They leapt into battle. They were initially doing well, but the foot soldiers were clearly not as bumbling as the Kelzacks they had trained against in simulations. Even as one group of the foot soldiers was defeated, two more took its place. The numbers were starting to become overwhelming to the Ninjas, who then started using their elements to turn the tide. Koragg attacked the Purple Ranger, who seemed to be enjoying tossing his army around like rag dolls.

"Where is the Red Ranger?" Koragg demanded.

**Meanwhile…**

The Samurai Rangers came up on the rock quarry, and looked down. They saw several different people wearing nearly identical outfits to the Red Ranger they saw just a few hours ago. The Rangers went around and tried to get a better look at these newcomers. They saw the group wearing masks, and took notice of the colored piping on their uniforms. Pink, Yellow, Blue, Green, Purple, Gold, and White were displayed. They also had marks of something above their left breast, but the Rangers couldn't get a good enough look to see what. The significance of the coloring on the piping was not lost on the Samurai Rangers, as they all shared a look. They were Ranger colors. They were obviously the members of that Red Ranger's team. This complicates matters considerably. They overheard part of a conversation, and tried to get closer to hear more. They don't like spying much, but they were trying to find out anything about these guys.

"…being watched," the Samurai team distinctly heard.

"Right above us, looking down." The Samurai team looked to each other, bewildered. Those Ninjas didn't even turn around. How could they possibly know they were there?

"_They're Shinobi,"_ Jayden mentally scolded himself. _"Of course they'll sense us!"_

The Samurai Rangers were brought out of their stupor by the unmistakable sounds of a battle taking place down in the quarry. It was those creatures they saw just hours ago. There were several dozen of them, and the sheer numbers eventually started to overwhelm the Ninjas. The Ninjas started using element attacks, and the Samurai Rangers' jaws dropped.

"_Those attacks look pretty strong,"_ Jayden thought. _"Who are these guys? What are they?" _A Pink tornado was sent towards a group of creatures that tried to sneak up on the Sky Ninja. The tornado was a little too close for the Samurai Rangers comfort, being on the ledge just above it.

"Nice try, creeps." That came from the Pink Ninja. Mia looked down towards her Ninja counterpart, and couldn't help but feel proud that her element was represented by one who was obviously quite powerful.

"These guys are good. Very good," Mia said. "They clearly have things under control here." Jayden nodded.

"Where is the Red Ranger?" That came from the mysterious warrior in armor who had attacked the Purple Ninja.

The Samurai Rangers had seen enough. They quickly went down the path.

"I'm right here," Jayden said. The warrior turned to look at the source of the voice. He couldn't tell for certain, but he could sense the warrior frowning.

"You are not who I'm looking for. Stay out of matters that do not concern you."

"No, he's not who you're looking for. But I am." The voice seemingly came out of nowhere. But both Ranger teams heard what they thought was a swooshing sound. They realized it was the flapping of wings, and they looked up to see a Red Ninja on a beautifully colored dragon.

Haruna blinked. "Wow, a dragon. Talk about a grand entrance." The rest of the Ninjas could only nod as they watched who they now knew to be their leader as he got off the dragon as she set down. The Red Ninja stopped and folded his arms across his chest. Koragg looked to the Ninja.

"I am Koragg, the Knight Wolf."

"I know who you are. Your Master will not win," the Red Ranger responded.

"We shall see. Battle my forces! Hidiacs, arise!" Koragg snapped his fingers, and a purple symbol appeared on the ground, as two more groups of the foot soldiers appeared. They immediately attacked the Red Ninja, who effortlessly shrugged off most of the attacks. Those that came close to hitting he dodged by evading or using back flips. The Hidiacs were growing increasingly frustrated with their utter lack of hits delivered to the Red Ranger.

Koragg was watching the Red wizard fight the Hidiacs. He was impressed with the Ranger's fighting prowess, and knew the Hidiacs posed no threat to the Ranger. Just when he had seen enough, however, a red glow caught his attention. Several red humanoid creatures with what appeared to be fish heads leapt in and attacked the Red Ranger. "What is this?" Koragg demanded.

The Red Ranger saw the creatures and immediately started dispatching them. "What are you? You're not of the Master's army."

"We don't use those things." Koragg confirmed.

"Shouldn't we help him," Haruna asked.

"Just wait. If he's who I think he is, the fireworks are about to start," Mariko answered.

"Fireworks?" Haruna repeated, tilting her head. "And who do you think he is?" She then stopped short, as she recalled a story of someone Mariko met back in Japan. "That's the guy you might back in Japan, isn't it? Kyle, I believe his name is?"

Mariko nodded and smiled at her best friend. "I recognize his fighting style. I had to go to the training grounds of the Fire Ninja and deliver a message to his superiors. He was the one who challenged me until I proved I was a Sky Ninja. Since the Fire and Sky Ninjas had been allied for centuries, there was no need for him to attack. I saw the Fire Ninja's blend of Ninjutsu while he was taking me to his superiors. At the time, he was training in the use of something shocking," she said. "Pun fully intended," she finished, flashing a smile again.

Haruna frowned as her best friend said that. _"What does she mean by that?"_ Haruna looked at the Red Ranger, who had raised suddenly his arm towards the sky. The sky darkened quickly, with clouds gathering above. Lightning bolts struck the area, electrocuting the Hidiacs and mystery foot soldiers.

Naomi's jaw dropped behind her mask. "Th-that's what you meant? I thought he was a Fire Ninja?" Naomi sputtered.

"He is."

"Then what's with the lightning attack?" Haruna picked up for Naomi, who gave the Earth Ninja a grateful smile.

"He has more than one element," Mariko answered.

The Ninjas' heads were spinning. A Ninja with more than one element hadn't been seen in centuries. But now one has shown up, in the form of their leader.

The Red Ranger finished off the Hidiacs and mystery foot soldiers. The Hidiacs disappeared through a purple seal, while most of the mystery foot soldiers vanished in a red flash. One of the creatures was too slow, and the Red Ninja grabbed it.

"Your forces were found lacking," the Red Ranger said to Koragg.

"You are a formidable warrior. Next time, the outcome will be different." With that, Koragg disappeared into a purple seal.

The Red Ninja shook his head. Then he turned back to the mysterious creature still in his hands. The creature was struggling to free itself, making the Red Ranger tighten his grip.

"And what are you, you fish faced freak?" He bellowed. The creature didn't move to speak. It just continued to tremble in the infuriated Ranger's hands. Kyle decided that questioning the creature was useless, and unceremoniously tossed it several yards away. "You might want to run, before I fry you."

As if backing up the threat, he formed a fireball in his hand and launched it right at the ground in front of the foot soldier. It leapt in shock and ran off.

The Red Ranger shook his head again, and then turned around. He approached the team of Ninjas, who were still somewhat in shock at seeing him use Lightning and Fire. Mariko, for her part, looked unaffected. She already knew, but had a similar reaction when she saw him using Lightning for the first time after meeting him years ago in Japan.

"I was hoping it was you Kyle," Mariko said.

The Red Ranger looked to her, and she took off her mask. Recognition was clearly shown on his face.

"Mariko? Can it really be you?"

"In the flesh," she responded with a smile.

The Purple Ranger stepped forward. "We have come, as ordered."

The Ranger, now revealed as Kyle, got serious once more. "Good. I must warn you that once you start this journey, you cannot go back. Everything as you know it will change. Don't do this out of any sense of obligation. Do this because you want to protect the Human race, and will give it everything you have. If you want to back out, this is your chance. No questions will be asked." He looked to his team, and was pleased that none of the Rangers budged an inch. "Very well. Follow me, then."

Before he left with his team, Kyle turned back towards the forgotten Samurai Rangers.

"Samurai Rangers," Kyle began. "I know you are wondering about us. Meet me back at this spot at 8 tonight, and I'll take you to my family's house. You'll get your answers then. Oh, and you can bring your Mentor. I'm sure he has questions."

With that, Kyle led his team out of the quarry, and to their new home. The Samurai Rangers stood in shock and contemplation for a moment, and then went back to their own home. Along the way, the Ninjas all took off their masks.

**Satoshi estate**

After showing the on duty sentry his family's symbol in flame, Kyle led the team into the house. The Rangers looked at the place in awe.

"Look at the size of this place! It's amazing!" Haruna gushed.

"This way, please." Kyle led them to through the foyer into the living room. The Rangers saw that their bags had been neatly placed there. They also saw two people standing there. One was an older Japanese man, wearing a gi and bore a look of no nonsense. The other was a tall beautiful blonde wearing a dress that went down to the floor. She wore a brilliant smile, but the Rangers could tell she was not one to be trifled with. The Rangers sat down on the coach and chairs in the living room. Kyle merely stood by the older man.

Kyle gestured to the man in the gi. "This is Sensei Hatari. He is in charge of our Ninja training. All concerns about the training will go to him." Sensei Hatari nodded towards the Rangers, who greeted him back.

Kyle then gestured towards the blonde. "This is Clare Langtree. She is the resident sorceress, and is in charge of our magic training. Any questions you have about the mystic training will go to her. Any questions so far?"

"Yeah, does Clare have someone a boyfriend?" That came from Kai, and the other Rangers laughed. Kyle merely raised an eyebrow. For her part, Clare blushed. Kyle looked at the Green Ranger.

"You can worry about that later."

Kyle walked around and stood to the left and slightly behind Sensei Hatari, who had stepped forward, and began his part. "You will train at least 5 days a week, unless otherwise noted. One day will be devoted to Ninja training, the next toward your Mystic training, and the process will repeat. You will also have chores to do. This is a very big house, and it needs to be kept in top condition in order to serve our needs. But, you will be paid weekly for everything. You need money to do anything, so your chores will be considered a job. Any questions?" The team shook their heads. "Good. As for relationships, I'll allow them, BUT" he said, cutting off the cheering Rangers. "But, you must remember that you are now in a war. Never forget your priorities. And you must accept all consequences of your actions. If you get someone pregnant, you'll have to deal with the results. Understood?" The team nodded.

Sensei Hatari stepped back, and Clare stepped forward. "For every day of mystic training, at least 2 hours will be devoted to incantations. At least 1 hour will be devoted to element training, and there will be sparring. Ninjas are not the only ones who spar, you know. Sparring can be mere hand to hand combat, weapons training, or bound battle. I want at least an hour devoted to sparring. And I will expect to see improvement in your training. Any questions?" The team shook their heads. "Excellent. Now that all that's out of the way, here are your wands. They are the same wands your parents used as Rangers."

"Uh, no offense Clare, but walking around town carrying a wand, well, it may be good for Beanstalk here," Makoto said as she saw Kai thrusting the wand in front of him, and playing around with it; Kai blushed, then glared at the Darkness user, who merely smirked in response. "But…" Makoto struggled to finish her thought.

Clare merely smiled. _"God, that sounds so familiar."_ She uttered a spell, which turned the wands into small cell phones with the symbol of the Mystic Force on the cover.

"Cell phones? Very cool," Mariko said nodding.

"They are your Mystic Morphers. They are activated by spell codes that you'll come to learn along the journey. Keep them on your person at all times. Remember: There is evil everywhere. Any questions?"

"Yeah, I have one," Yamato started. "What were those fish faced freaks that attacked Kyle?" The Rangers turned to Clare and Sensei Hatari; they too wanted to know. Clare threw up her hands in exasperation.

"I haven't a clue. They aren't a part of the Master's forces, though. Those things clearly belong to someone else. We'll go through the scrolls and the Xenotome to see what we can find."

"The Xenotome?" Mariko repeated frowning.

"The book of the unknown. In it is everything we do not know. It is written in the language of the Ancients, which you'll soon learn. Any other questions?" The Rangers shook their heads, and Clare smiled. "Good. Kyle will take over from here."

The Rangers got up, and Kyle got their attention. "Please grab your bags, and follow me. I'll show you to the bedrooms." The Ninjas got their suitcases, and followed Kyle up to the second floor of the complex. The Rangers looked down the huge corridor, which housed several bedrooms and at least 2 bathrooms.

"As you can see, there are numerous bedrooms on this floor, enough for each Ranger to have a room to themselves. Or you can choose to bunk with a friend. Just be sure to put your mark on the door, showing it's been taken. Each bedroom has a bathroom. My room is near the end of the hall, and my clan's mark is on it. Once you choose your rooms, be sure to change into civilian clothes. I'll show you where the store is, and you can get whatever items you need then. We can't take too long, though. I have to meet the Samurai team and bring them back here. They'll have a lot of questions, and I want to explain it only once."

The Rangers nodded, and set out to find their rooms. Mariko and Haruna took the room just to the left of the top of the staircase, and Naomi and Makoto took the room next to it. The Darkness Ranger sensed that Naomi was a shy person, so she approached her, and started talking to her, helping her come out of her shell somewhat. Along the way to the house, the two became quick friends, a rarity for the Water user. Makoto assured Naomi that her intellect was nothing to be afraid of, and that she shouldn't have to hide who she is. Naomi actually felt better about herself, and knew she could trust Makoto, just as she trusts Mariko and Haruna. Yamato took a room near the other end of the hall, preferring to have the ability be able to practice more without disturbing anyone at night. And Kai took a room not far from Yamato's. The Rangers put the mark of their elements on the doors to their new rooms, and changed into some T-shirts in their respective colors. In Yamato's case, he wore a casual black and gold shirt.

Thirty minutes after Kyle had shown the Rangers the bedrooms, they came down and went into the living room. Kyle smiled at the team.

"Are you guys ready?" His new team checked to make sure they had their morphers and wallets. Once they were content they had everything, Kyle led them out and towards the store.

While they were walking towards the store, Mariko ran up and started walking alongside Kyle. She looked to him and smiled brightly, making him turn as red as his Ranger suit.

"So, what happened those years ago? Why couldn't you contact me?"

Kyle sighed as he heard that. "It wasn't from a lack of wanting on my part. Three years ago, just after you found out about my Lightning and Thunder Ninja powers, I got summoned to come here to the States to continue my training. My uncle had already been alerted, and had packed my stuff. He said I had to go back immediately. Everything was happening so fast, and I couldn't contact anybody on the outside once I got here. Not until the time was right. And I never got any contact information from you."

Mariko bit her bottom lip. She didn't realize he didn't have her info until he had already disappeared, and it was too late. It was a big mistake on her part, and she knew that she didn't want to make a mistake like that again.

While Kyle and Mariko were talking, Haruna was gesturing wildly to Kyle, trying to get his attention. Eventually, it got annoying.

"What?" Kyle asked.

Haruna put her hands on her hips, and glared at Kyle. "Isn't that a store right there?" She asked, pointing to a mom-and-pop shop. Kyle shrugged, and put his hands in his pockets. Haruna glared at Kyle again for his nonchalance.

"Yes, it is. But it's also more expensive than the place we're going to, not to mention smaller, and has a much smaller selection of goods. Believe it or not, but I've actually lived here for awhile."

Makoto ran up to the two and got in between the two before there was a blowup. Naomi and Kai were also running up, having heard the scuffle. They didn't think much of it, but also didn't need it to become an issue. Kai put his hands on Haruna and Kyle's shoulders, and said that they shouldn't be fighting with each other. They have the Morlocks to deal with.

"Hey, maybe we can wind Haruna up like a cheap watch and set her off on Koragg. He wouldn't stand a chance!" Kai said in a straightforward manner.

Haruna and Kyle looked at Kai as if he'd grown a second head, and eventually started laughing when Kai's face cracked into a grin. Naomi nodded as Kai continued to joke around.

As the group continued walking towards the store, Kyle turned towards Mariko.

"What happened there? Did I somehow upset her?"

Mariko looked at her best friend, who was talking with Kai and Naomi excitedly.

"I don't know what happened. That's not like her. But I'm going to find out." She walked back towards the Earth Ninja.

"Haruna, may I speak with you, please?" Mariko asked.

Haruna nodded, and the two started talking.

"What happened there? Why did you get on Kyle like that?" The Sky Ninja asked.

Haruna sighed. "I remember how you were devastated after Kyle left without even saying goodbye, or leaving some kind of note. He just 'up and left,' as the Americans say. I don't want him hurting you again."

Mariko looked at her best friend, and just sighed. "Kyle told me what happened. It wasn't his fault. Before he left, he obviously thought he'd have more time. But then he got summoned, and his uncle had already packed his belongings. Kyle had to leave immediately. And I never gave him my contact information. I never realized that until after he had left. When he got here, he wasn't even allowed to contact anyone on the outside until the time was right."

Haruna looked at the ground, suddenly ashamed of her actions. "So my outburst was…"

"Unnecessary," Mariko finished for her best friend.

Haruna sighed. "I'm sorry, Mar. I didn't know. I'll go apologize to Kyle now."

Before Mariko could say something, the Earth Ninja had already taken off to apologize to Kyle. Mariko could see that Kyle didn't hold a grudge, and thought nothing of the altercation. She was glad for that- they had enough to deal with, now that the Morlock have returned.

The team had finally arrived at the store Kyle was talking about, and saw that it was indeed large. The Rangers took off and got what they needed, such as toiletries, assorted fruit juices, books they want to read, and Blu-Rays and DVDs. After paying for their items, they went back to the Satoshi house, chatting each other up along the way. Makoto and Naomi were talking, with Naomi actually enjoying conversing with the Purple Ranger. Kai was speaking with Haruna, and Yamato was talking with Kasumi, and the two seemed to enjoy each other's company. Kyle could tell Yamato was giving Kasumi pointers on controlling her temper, since he used to have the same problem. And Kasumi enjoyed speaking with someone who could actually relate with her. And Kyle and Mariko were talking, catching up on what happened since Kyle had to leave Japan, and her family, who have met and really like Kyle.

"_They're already bonding,"_ Kyle observed of the rest of the team. _"Good. Very good." _

Before long, the team was back at the Satoshi House, and they had put their items away. Kyle threw off his civilian clothes, revealing his Ninja uniform. He then left the house and went back to the quarry to meet up with the Samurai Rangers.

**Rock quarry**

Kyle was leaning against a wall in the area he instructed the Samurai Rangers to wait for him. It didn't take long for the other active team and their Mentor to show up. It took awhile for them to spot the Ninja, as it was dark and the uniform made it that much harder to spot him. Only his whistling alerted them to his location. Most of the team was a bit hesitant to approach the Ninja, obviously weary of one who was a part of an order that was supposed to have disappeared centuries ago.

"If I wanted to hurt you," Kyle said, turning to the Samurai Rangers, "you would not still be standing."

"Forgive us if we are a bit scared of someone whose kind was known for deception," Antonio responded.

Kyle just rolled his eyes. "You're fellow Rangers, so why would I attack? Where would be the honor in that?"

The Samurai Rangers had to give the Red Ninja that much. They knew the Shinobi had their own code of honor. They reluctantly walked up to the Red Ranger, who started to lead them into the forest. But before they entered the forest, Kyle turned his head, adding one last bit.

"Mariko, you can come out now. I know you're there."

Mariko seemingly shimmered into existence in the area right next to the area Kyle had previously been leaning against. "How did you know?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow as she came up to him.

Kyle smirked. "Please, why do you think I was in that area? I knew all along."

Mariko playfully shoved Kyle as she laughed. "You always were better at detection."

"Are you two going to just flirt, or are you going to tell us what's going on?" That came from Mike, who spoke in an amused, yet serious manner. The rest of the Samurai team laughed as Kyle and Mariko blushed.

"He sounds like Kai," Mariko quipped as she and Kyle both quirked an eyebrow after regaining their composure. Kyle snickered, and nodded.

"This way," Kyle said, as he and Mariko led the Samurai Rangers to the house.

**Satoshi house**

After showing the sentry the symbol again, Kyle led the team through the cherry wood gates that bore the same mark they saw on the Red Ranger's helmet.

"Welcome to the Satoshi estate, home of the Fire Ninja Academy."

"Fire Ninja Academy? You teach people how to use fire?" Emily asked.

"No, we teach them how to be one with the fire. There's a big difference. You don't 'use' fire. For the Fire Ninja, the flame is a part of our body. It is in our very blood, our essence. So you think of it as an extension of yourself. And we don't teach just anybody. Every single student here is a member of surviving Fire Ninja clans. At least a few of the students here are even members of my own clan."

"How many Ninja clans have survived? And what about the rest of your team," Jayden asked.

"Every single member of this team is a member of a Ninja clan, and we were all born and raised in Japan. And several clans have survived, but we're not as prevalent as we once were. So we've kept a low profile, training, watching, and waiting for the day we'll be needed."

"And that time is now," Emily said, a statement more than a question.

"Indeed. You're about to find out why. This way," Kyle finished.

Kyle and Mariko led the Samurai Rangers into the Satoshi house. Once inside, they saw the group of Ninjas that they saw at the quarry, but Emily saw something else.

"I knew it! I knew I should've recognized them!"

Jayden turned his head to Emily. "What?"

"Those are the same people I pointed out to you when we were at the store, remember?"

Jayden took a closer look, and saw that she was right. Recognition dawned on him.

"Yes, well, there's a lot to cover. And I'd like to say this only once. First off, why don't you introduce yourselves, and we'll do the same," Kyle said.

The Samurai Rangers just looked at each and shrugged their shoulders. They were finally going to get some answers, so it'd only be fair for them to give the Ninjas what they seek, as well. The Samurai Rangers then introduced themselves. They also told the Ninjas about Xandred and the Nighlok threat.

"OK, it's our turn now. Who wants to start," Mariko asked.

"I guess I'll go. My name is Kasumi Hanaori, and I'm from the Ice Ninja Academy in Stone Canyon. I've yet to perfect my Ice powers. There's really not much else to say," she finished grumbling.

"I am Yamato Hayabusa, the Gold Light Ranger. I am from the Monochrome Ninja Academy in Crossworld City. I'm known for my expertise in creating new hardware and software. I can come up with several tools to aid us in our endeavor to protect Humanity."

Antonio's head immediately whipped to the Gold Ninja, who appeared to be his counterpart in more ways than one. Perhaps the two can collaborate on a project.

"I am Makoto Nakamura, the Purple Darkness Ranger. Like Yamato, I too am from the Monochrome Academy. Yamato and I relish sparring, and can't wait to start. We expect that nobody gives us an inch when sparring."

"That goes for everybody. You cannot improve if you're taking it easy on your opponent. The enemy will not treat you with kid gloves, so we must be ready." Kyle said.

Makoto nodded towards Kyle. "Great! Yamato and I also saw how good you were against the Hidiacs. I can't wait to face you in a sparring match." Makoto said as she finished and sat down in her chair.

Kai stood up. "My name is Kai Oshiro, and I'm from the Forest Ninja Academy in Angel Grove. I'm not the best fighter, unfortunately. I seem to be better at healing plants than I am at fighting, which I try to avoid as much as possible."

"There's nothing wrong with trying to avoid conflict, but realize the Morlock will not hesitate to attack you at the worst possible moment. You must be ready, and we do expect to see at least some improvement in your fighting," Clare said. The Green Ranger nodded, knowing that that's what they'd say. But at least they didn't judge him, as he had feared.

"Oh, I'm the king of comic books, and I love video games," Kai finished.

Mike's head perked up at that. It appears his Ninja counterpart was a lot like him. He'd have to speak with Kai; perhaps they can lend each other their games, or make recommendations for games to add to their collections.

"Wait, wait, wait. Go back. What did you call your enemy," Mia asked.

"The Morlock," Clare repeated.

"Morlock, Nighlok, sounds a lot alike." Emily pointed out.

"There may be a lot of similarities between the two forces, but there will undoubtedly be large differences, as well." Kyle said. "We'll get to that soon, though."

Naomi hesitantly stood up, after encouragement from Mariko, Haruna, and Makoto; it appears her shyness is deeply ingrained. Kyle frowned, and made a mental note to see how he and the other Rangers can help her come out of her shell.

"I am Naomi Sato, the Water Ranger. Like my best friends here, I'm from the Wind Ninja Academy in Blue Bay Harbor. My parents are both Sky Ninjas, so it was expected that I'd be a Sky Ninja myself. They were a bit upset when my Water Ninja powers were revealed, though. I've never really fit in with my peers. I was never a part of the in crowd, or asked to dances. I was considered too smart to be seen with. I was always invisible," she finished sadly. The Sky, Earth, and Darkness Ninjas just smiled at her.

"That changes now. Nobody is going to judge you here," Kyle announced. The rest of the Rangers nodded their heads enthusiastically and smiled at her. Naomi felt protected for once. Her parents did all they could, for which was eternally grateful. But they couldn't be everywhere. She now knew her new teammates would not treat her as some leper.

The Yellow Ranger got up. "I am Haruna Ishido, the Earth Ninja. My best friends are Mariko and Naomi here, whom I consider my sisters in all ways but blood."

Mariko smiled. "Haruna can make friends with anyone. She's just that kind of person." Haruna just smiled warmly. It was Mariko's turn now.

"I am Mariko Yamaguchi, the Sky Ranger. My two sisters and I make up the Three Musketeers of the Wind Ninja Academy." The rest of the Rangers chuckled at this. "We have each other's backs, and we've always been sturdy as a rock," she finished, looking at Haruna, who laughed at the pun. The rest of the Rangers quickly joined in. It was very easy to see how Haruna and Mariko can make friends very easily and quickly. They appeared to have bubbly personalities, although they noted Haruna appeared to also be a tad shy. Because there are at least two Rangers who were shy, Kyle decided some trust building exercises are in order.

"I am Kyle Satoshi, the Red Fire Ranger. As you saw in the battle earlier, I also have Lightning powers, as well."

"Yeah, how did that happen? And is that it," Haruna asked.

"Most Ninjas fall in love with someone within their own element, and marry as such. My father broke with tradition when he fell for a Lightning Ninja, my mother. If I had a sister, she likely would've been the Amber Lightning Ranger, since most of the Lightning Ninjas are female."

"But you have the Lightning power," Kai reiterated.

"I'm one of the very few males who can be considered a Lightning Ninja. My mother obviously passed the power down to me. And as for elements in general, I don't just have two," he said smirking.

Now both Ranger teams were gobsmacked, except for Mariko. Emily and Haruna were the first to recover.

"So, just how many do you have," Haruna beat Emily to the punch.

Mariko and Kyle smirked again. "I have three elements. The powers of the Thunder Ninja apparently have come along for the ride with the Lightning powers."

The Ranger teams were doing their best fish impersonations, their jaws gaping. Kyle and Mariko couldn't help but laugh at the sight. Even Sensei Hatari and Clare couldn't help but join in.

"So, what do we call you? Sparky? Lightning rod? Firebrand?" Kai kept rattling off possibilities, and his Samurai counterpart cracked up.

"I'm the only one who can come up with nicknames for him," Mariko cut off the Forest Ninja, who pouted dramatically in response, his arms folded across his chest. Kyle raised an eyebrow; he didn't even know how to respond to Mariko's statement, or Kai's antics.

"Aw, poor baby," Makoto teased Kai.

"Anyway," Kyle said a little loudly to bring the conversation back to the topic on hand. "Now you know. I also train much harder than most in order to maintain control; if I don't, countless innocents could get hurt."

Sensei Hatari stepped forward. "I am Sensei Hatari, the Mentor in charge of the team's Ninja training. As already discussed, the team will be training for at least 5 days a week, on an alternating basis. One day will be spent on Ninja training, the next Mystic training, and the process will repeat."

Sensei stepped back, and Clare stepped forward. "I am Clare Langtree, the resident sorceress and Mentor for the mystical component of the team's training. They will be spending at least an hour on sparring, 2 hours on incantations, and 1 hour on element training. For obvious reasons, Kyle spends even more time on his element training. He can spend as much as 3 hours on element training before even taking a break."

Mariko blinked. "That could be really dangerous. Doesn't that tire you out?"

Kyle shrugged. "It does, but I see it as making sure I don't turn into a ticking time bomb."

Haruna frowned. "That's quite sad. Is that all you do? Train most of the day, eat, lather, rinse, and repeat?"

"Can we please get off it already?" Jayden asked as he saw Kyle stiffen at that.

"I'd much prefer if we do," Kyle grumbled. Sensing that they shouldn't press their luck, the Ninjas decided to drop the topic-for now.

Clare cleared her throat. "If you'll please follow me." She led the two teams through the living room, past gigantic rooms that Kyle promised he'd show them after Clare was finished, and straight towards a wall. Before anybody could inquire as to what Clare was doing, she brought her hand up to the wall, and pressed in on a certain spot. The wall slowly rolled upwards, revealing a massive room that was filled with books, scrolls, ingredients that the Samurai Rangers haven't even heard of, a large cauldron and spoon, and a podium with a book on it.

As the Rangers and the three Mentors stepped into the giant room, everyone noticed that the Ninjas suddenly got a change of clothes. They were now wearing leather vests with intricate markings in their respective Ranger colors adorning the vests. A pair of pants with the mystical symbol of their element was displayed prominently on the left leg in their Ranger colors. They also wore a pair of gauntlets with intricate markings, also in their colors. A white T-shirt with the marks of their elements was worn underneath the vests. A cloak that went down to mid-leg level completed the outfit. All the Rangers, save for Kyle, who had already had the uniform before his team was summoned, admired the new getup.

"Cloaks, cool!" Kia exclaimed excitedly. Kyle shook his head. It obviously didn't much to amuse the Green Ranger.

"These are your mystic uniforms. You will wear them whenever you have magic training. Now that you have chosen your rooms, you'll find two extra uniforms waiting for you. The used uniforms are to be cleaned every week. Now that that's out of the way, it's time to reveal the face of the enemy. Kyle."

Kyle stepped forward and pushed some buttons on a nearby table, bringing up three images on a large screen nearby. The first image was of an enormous cephalopod, crimson in color. It was wearing black armor on its head and shoulders. The armor on its shoulders jutted out, and there appeared to an enormous skull carved into the armor on the shoulders. Its eyes were yellow, and its lower jaw jutted out with large twisted tusk like appendages located on each side of its jaw. Its teeth were ground into a scowl.

The second image was of the creature in its armor carrying a very large and serrated broadsword. The sword looked to be at least 6 feet long and looked to be quite heavy, but the creature was wielding it with minimal issues.

The third image was of the same creature without the armor. Its bulbous head was much larger in this form, and its tentacles were freely waving around, able to cause terrible damage.

"Behold Octomus, the Supreme Master of the Underworld. This is the face of true evil, the face of a savage beast responsible for the deaths of millions over the millennia he's been around."

"Underworld?" Mia asked.

"That's its generic name. You've undoubtedly heard its much more recognized Judeo-Christian name."

The Samurai Rangers paled, as did the rest of the Mystic Force. Much as they heard it before, it still sent involuntary shivers down their spines.

"Ar-are you saying that…" Emily couldn't finish her thought, no matter how hard she tried. Kyle sighed heavily, and sent a sympathetic smile her way.

"Yes, the Underworld is quite literally Hell itself."

"How are you supposed to fight something like that?" Mike asked, uncharacteristically serious. The Samurai team nodded, wanting to know themselves.

"It definitely won't be easy. Nobody knows that better than Clare and myself. We've both lost family in the war against the Master," Kyle said softly. The Rangers could clearly see he was struggling to maintain composure, and Clare smiled sadly. She never quite got over her mother's death when she sent the Master and the Morlock army into the Underworld, sealing them away.

"What happened?" Haruna asked sadly. Kyle had to take deep, cleansing breaths before he turned and played a video of a battle in the Great War.

"Most people in the mystical realm assume that the Master only attacked the entrance to their realm in Briarwood. But what relatively few know is that he also attacked here, wanting to split up the forces of light, thus weakening them. While Clare's mother Niella, her aunt and uncle Udonna and Leanbow, Leanbow's best friend Daggeron, and many of the mystics of the time protected the mystical realm and the Human city Briarwood, several other mystic warriors were here, waiting for the Master and his army. The Master sent the cream of his crop here. There were countless Morlocks, Hidiacs, and Styxoids. Even Morticon fought here for awhile, before the Master called him back to attack Briarwood. At the height of the battle here, the Master rose."

The video continued, and the two teams could see the Mystics battling bravely, but losing badly. The Red Ranger seemed to be making some headway against the Master, and had even managed to gain the upper hand for some time. But then the Master wrested control of his sword away from the Red Ranger, who was struggling to knock it out of the Master's tentacles/hands. The Master then ran the Red Ranger through, relishing in the sounds of the Ranger gasping for air as his mouth filled with blood. The Red Ranger fell to his knees, and his team struggled to get to him to help him. There were too many Morlocks and foot soldiers, though, and the team was held back. In the Red Ranger's last moments alive, he sent what was left of his Fire power into one last, powerful attack on the Master. The massive fireball hit the Master head on, and his armor was destroyed. The Red Ranger fell face down, his suit vanishing.

"That was my father," Kyle said softly. Haruna broke down and started crying, with Naomi holding her. The rest of the Mystic Force looked down at the ground, and the Samurai Rangers were struggling to maintain composure themselves. Jayden's heart went out to his Ninja counterpart-he knew all too well what Kyle was going through. Mariko put her hand on Kyle's shoulder sympathetically, giving him her unspoken strength and support. He smiled at her; he was glad that the beautiful Pink Ranger was back in his life at long last.

Kyle had to stop for a moment. Here came the especially brutal part, and he did not want to go on. But the Rangers deserved to know the truth, even if it breaks his heart.

"What we didn't know at the time was that my mother, who was also in the battle, had been poisoned by the Master's forces. They put some kind of mixture in her water, and when she drank it, the poison entered her system. It turned into some kind of cancer that had never been seen before. It immediately went for her vital organs, and slowly attacked them. The Morlock clearly wanted me to see my mother dying slowly, knowing there was nothing I could about it. She was in agony, and Udonna was franticly trying to find something, anything, that could save my mother. Nobody could find anything, and a few years after she was infected, she couldn't take the pain any longer. She had tried to stay strong for my sake, but the trauma of losing her husband and the physical pain of the ailment was too much. Since she was denied a warrior's death, she decided to maintain her honor by committing ritual suicide."

That brought the two teams up short. They thought that practice was no longer used. They also realized that Kyle had to grow up without any parents.

"How did you get through it?" Kai asked, all mirth he previously had gone.

"I was forced to grow up quickly, and threw myself into my Ninja and Mystic training. I swore that I would make my parents proud of me, and be the best Ninja, sorcerer, and Ranger I possibly could become. And I swore that when the time comes, I will do everything in my power to kill the Master!" Kyle spat out, the sadness and fury evident in his voice.

Kyle turned back to glare at the images on the screen. There was dead silence in the room, as the two teams absorbed these developments. Sensei Hatari looked wearily at the Red Ranger. He knew long ago how Kyle felt, and had tried to steer him clear of those thoughts. He did not want the thought of revenge to consume Kyle. He also knew that Kyle did not have a balanced life, and he had long suspected that much of the problem with his control of his elements stemmed from that fact. A Ninja's power comes from his or her emotions. To be at peace with oneself would allow the Ninja to attain true mastery of his or her element. Kyle was very angry, and he trained constantly, forgoing the activities one of his age group routinely engaged in. This was not healthy for Kyle, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Sensei Hatari silently prayed that having Mariko back in Kyle's life would have a calming effect on the infuriated Red Ranger. He wasn't stupid; he knew how Kyle felt about Mariko, and that she reciprocated Kyle's feelings. Having the rest of the Rangers there as friends and a surrogate family could also be of significant help to Kyle.

Finally, Haruna found her voice, and asked what most were asking themselves.

"So, what happened afterwards?"

Clare took up the rest of the story. "My uncle Leanbow was fighting Morticon's forces in the mystical realm. He fought Morticon back into his dark fortress, and told my mother Niella to seal the gates of the fortress and himself into the Underworld. My mother protested, knowing it would be a one-way trip for Leanbow, but he said it was the only way. She knew he was right, and reluctantly sealed him and Morticon into the Underworld. The Master also got sucked in, even while he was here. The spell needed to seal the Morlocks away was so strong that it depleted my mother's life force, killing her instantly. My aunt Udonna was devastated. She had lost her sister, husband, very good friends in Daggeron and Calindor, and her son Bowen.

Several years ago, a crack appeared in the gates of the dark fortress, and Koragg was allowed to escape. He rose and attacked the Human world with his army of Hidiacs and Styxoids, necessitating a new team of mystic warriors. A group of five remarkable and reluctant individuals rose. They became the Power Rangers Mystic Force. The leader was Nick, who was later revealed to be Udonna's long lost son and my cousin, Bowen. Calindor was discovered to be a traitor, and he became Imperious. Daggeron and his new found partner Jenji were found to be alive and well, albeit cursed. Daggeron and Calindor fought in the Great War, and when they used their most powerful magic attacks, the attacks backfired, cursing both combatants. Daggeron become a frog that was eventually freed from his curse by the Mystic Mermaid Madison Rocca, and Calindor became the mummy like creature Imperious. Koragg was revealed to be Udonna's husband Leanbow. Leanbow ha fought the Master in the Underworld, and succeeded in sealing the Master in his pit in the deepest part of the Underworld. In the ultimate act of spite, the Master used a last ditch sneak attack on Leanbow, and used his power to curse Leanbow, turning him into Koragg, the Knight Wolf, and obedient servant of the Master. Over time, Koragg remembered who he was, and eventually turned on the Master and rejoined the forces of light as Leanbow. The war got increasingly savage, as the warriors had to battle the likes of the Ten Terrors, the Barbarian Beasts, and in the end, the Master himself.

In the final battle, the Master had succeeded in killing Leanbow and Daggeron, and had almost killed Mystic Mother, the very embodiment of good magic. The Rangers did not give up, even though all seemed lost. They used the last of their magic to destroy the Master. The Queen of the Vampires, Necrolai, was convinced by her daughter Leelee to revive the deceased Daggeron and Leanbow. She did so, and had lost all her dark magic, transforming her into a Human. She has since become a very good friend of the former Rangers and the inhabitants of the magical realm."

The Rangers were trying hard to understand everything Kyle and Clare had just told them. It was a great deal to take in, but one question remained on everyone's mind:

"If that's all true, then how did the Master return?" That came from Haruna, Emily, and Jayden simultaneously. Any other time, everybody would've laughed at the timing. But nobody was laughing now.

Both teams looked at Kyle, Sensei, and Clare. Finally, Kyle spoke up.

"There is only one possible explanation for the Master's return."

It was Naomi and Mariko who put it together. Just as Kevin was about it say it, Mariko and Naomi spoke as one:

"He had help."

Kyle turned to his Pink and Blue Rangers, and nodded. "Precisely. And I've yet to figure out who did it, and why now, of all times. But I _do_ have a strong suspicion as to who and why," he finished, as he turned his head to the Samurai Rangers.

"Xandred," Jayden said.

Kyle nodded. "Got it in one."

"But why?" Haruna asked. "Surely he must know that the Master would not work with him for long. Sooner or later, the Master would turn on his benefactor."

"It makes perfect sense, actually. Think about it: Xandred would not have known about us, since we are not his targets. Our parents were not his targets. For all intents and purposes, our order, both as Ninjas and as sorcerers, are invisible to him. So what better way to take out your opponent than to use someone your opponent has never seen before? Someone who they'd never see coming from a mile away, and have absolutely no training in dealing with? Sure, the Samurai Rangers may have been able to win some battles had it been just them, rather than us facing the threat. But let's face it: In the long run, the Samurai Rangers do not stand a chance against the forces of the Master. They simply are not trained in the ways of magic, and the threat is very different from that of Xandred. I mean no disrespect to the Samurai Rangers, but it's simply the truth."

The Samurai Rangers just shrugged, showing they took no offense to Kyle's observation, since they knew it to be true.

"But that still doesn't explain why Xandred brought the Master back if he knew he'd just be betrayed, which is undoubtedly what is going to happen." Kevin pointed out.

"Xandred's probably arrogant enough to think he can handle the Master should he make a move against Xandred. Or perhaps Xandred is simply sitting back and let you and the Master duke it out until one side wins. Then Xandred would just come in and take out what's left of the winners. But in that case, Xandred still doesn't know about us. We're not going to stand by and let the Master run amok, leaving chaos and destruction in his wake. His plan would fail."

It made sense to the two teams.

"Now, if you'll please follow me, we'll continue the tour." Kyle said, as he led them out of the Mystic Force's command center. He led them back to the foyer, and then stopped.

"This is the main dojo," he said as he led the teams into a very large dojo. "This is where we'll spar, or simply train, whether it's with weapons or hand to hand combat.

Down that hallway," he said pointing to the left as they returned to the foyer, "are the Fire, Sky, Forest, and Earth dojos. There, you'll be able to train freely in the use of your elements without fear of causing any damage to the house. Down that way," he pointed to the right, "are the Light, Darkness, Ice, Water. Each dojo is quite large, so you'll be able to move around freely. The Thunder and Lightning dojo is located next to the Fire dojo, for the sake of convenience. After training with my Fire, I usually pop in there to train with my Thunder and Lightning for awhile."

Mariko and Haruna shook their heads slightly, but Kyle didn't notice. Kyle had a very sad upbringing, and although it wasn't his fault, they sensed that he bore survivor's guilt, and that much of his problems with his elements came not from there being too much power, but rather that he never came to terms with what had happened. His fate was thrust on him at such a young age, and he never had time to actually grieve for his parents, and heal, an important step in helping him master the use of his elements.

"Any questions?" Clare asked.

"Yeah. What are Styxoids?" Asked Kasumi.

"A more powerful foot soldier in the Master's army. They are taller than Hidiacs, carry staffs that fire powerful blasts, and their cloth is almost purple, as opposed to the brown the Hidiacs wear. They are also smarter than Hidiacs. Be careful when dealing with them." Clare told the Rangers.

Haruna yawned softly, but the others saw or heard it. "Sorry. It's been a long day. I'm surprised Kyle's still awake. He had two battles, and he likely trained hard earlier. Then meeting the rest of us and the Samurai team had to be mentally exhausting. How are you not asleep on your feet?"

"Oh, I can sleep right now. We should all probably turn in. Samurai Rangers, you're welcome to stay tonight, if you want. There are still plenty of unused bedrooms on the second floor."

"Thanks, but we have to get back home and prepare for the next day ourselves. We have to be ready at a moment's notice, same as you." Jayden said.

"OK, but do you need me to show you the way out? This is a massive estate."

"No, we're fine. We just have to make sure we don't raise the suspicions of your sentries."

"OK, tell the sentry you were with us, and he can speak to me if he has a problem. Good night."

"Yeah, same to you."

With that, the Samurai Rangers and their Mentor left, and the Mystics got ready for bed. Tomorrow will be the start of a new life for the team, and they were looking forward to it.


	4. Chapter 3: This should be interesting

**Disclaimer: **Neither I nor Butterfly Dreamer767 owns Power Rangers, Saban does. Only the characters, events, and places not found in Mystic Force or Samurai.

Chapter 3: This should be interesting

The strong scent of chlorine hit Kevin as soon as he entered the high school pool area. No one was around that afternoon, which was precisely the reason why he had chosen this spot. Kevin needed a quiet place to sit and get over the shock of discovering the new Ranger team. The fact that he could actually smell the chlorine meant that he hadn't been around a pool in a while. This saddened him greatly. There once was a time that he could claim he practically lived in the water, but now everything was different.

"_But that's part of being a Ranger,"_ Kevin sternly reminded himself. "_You must make sacrifices."_

Kevin knew that he wasn't the only one who had given up a dream, or something he loved. Everyone on his team had left his or her old life behind in order to ensure that evil would not prevail. Yet sometimes Kevin wondered if all their hard work was in vain. They had defeated Xandred's henchmen many times over, but Kevin had a sinking feeling that something big was hiding in the shadows.

He watched as the water silently lapped along the edge of the pool. The sun shone through a far window, gently hitting the water and making it sparkle. The scene, as peaceful as it was, did nothing to dismiss Kevin's worries.

And now there was this new team. Kevin had no idea what to think of them. They were certainly very skilled- after all, the monsters they faced did not seem easy to deal with. It bothered Kevin greatly that they did not know who these Ninja were fighting. The Samurai had been sure that Xandred was the ultimate baddie, but it looked like they were wrong.

"_Just great. We not only have to deal with an evil monster that wants us dead, now we have to also fight a second guy? The hits just keep coming."_

Kevin was interrupted from his thoughts when he saw a group of young children emerge from the locker room. He realized that he had been on the deck longer than he thought. "_I had better get back to the house. Xandred hasn't struck for a while; who knows what he's planning now._"

When Kevin got back to the house, he met Antonio who was returning from home. A family emergency had popped up, and Mentor had graciously allowed Antonio to go help his family.

"¡Hola, hermano!" Antonio greeted cheerfully. "¿Como estas?"

"Hey Antonio. I'm doing well, how about yourself?"

"Good, good, gracias. Did anything exciting happen in my absence? Did you learn anything new about those Shinobi?" Antonio asked. He chuckled a bit, thinking nothing could've happened out of the ordinary in that short a time period.

"We haven't learned anything new of them since our last encounter."

Jayden was still a bit suspicious of this new Ranger team. How come he had never heard about them before? Where were they from? He ordered his team to approach the Ninjas with caution. Kyle's comment about hurting them made him bristle, but when Kyle invoked his code of honor, Jayden had to admit that maybe he and his team were overreacting a bit. _"He's a fellow Ranger,"_ Jayden scolded himself. _"We're on the same side- I think."_

He had to admit that the Satoshi estate was very impressive, and it was interesting to meet the other Rangers and learn about their history. He wanted to see the Fire Academy itself, but there were more pressing matters at hand. _"Maybe next time we go there," _he thought to himself.

The fact that Kyle had three powers was astounding, to say the least. Jayden knew that the Red Rangers always received something a little extra, whether it be technology or weapons, but three powers? How cool was that?

He could also sympathize with Kyle's story. To tell the truth, it sounded very similar to his own story. After all, Jayden had grown up without a mother, and his father died when he was very young. It saddened him that he could relate to someone in so horrible a way.

"_Is this what life will forever be like now? Will we only be like others in the respect that our parents and friends have been killed?"_ Jayden had trained his whole life to be a Ranger- he was guessing that Kyle had too. He knew that that was not considered normal, or healthy. "_How many other Red Rangers share our story? Is this our legacy? To be caught in a net in which a "normal" life will always evade us?"_

As Jayden continued to listen to Kyle and Clare's story, his mind spun with disbelief. He was shocked that Xandred was not the only force that needed to be fought, but then he remembered something. When he was very young, he had overheard a conversation between his father and his father's teammates. Jayden wasn't sure why he could recall it, but it explained a lot…

***FLASHBACK***

"I'm telling you, I know what I saw!"

"C'mon, Elizabeth. I'm sure that it was just your imagination!" James, the Red Ranger replied.

"It was not! I saw a flash of purple!" The Yellow Ranger protested.

"Are you sure? It could have just been that red glow that accompanies the Moogers." The Pink Ranger suggested.

Elizabeth shook her head. "It was purple. I swear."

James frowned. "Well… maybe it means nothing." He finally said.

"I hope you're right… because I have a bad feeling."

***END FLASHBACK***

Jayden had thought nothing of the conversation at the time, but now, it nagged at him. There was something else that was said… something he should remember…

As Clare finished her story, silence descended upon the Rangers. Jayden tried to sort through the information he learned; something Clare had said stuck out strongly to him. He finally had to ask:

"If that's all true, then how did the Master return?"

His question was asked in unison with Emily and Haruna. Kyle was quiet for a few minutes, then he replied, "There is only one possible explanation for the Master's return."

"He had help." The Blue and Pink Ninja Rangers finally answered. Kyle nodded.

"Precisely. And I've yet to figure out who did it, and why now, of all times. But I do have a strong suspicion as to who and why." He turned to face Jayden.

"_Oh, crap." _

"Xandred."

"Got it in one." Kyle proceeded to explain his reasoning as to why he thought Xandred was responsible for the release of the Master. Jayden agreed with his theory, although he felt slightly stung when Kyle claimed the Samurai had no chance against the Master. They were no Ninja team, true- but they weren't incapable little babies. They had fought well against Xandred. However, if what Kyle said was true, then it was good the Ninja were here. The Samurai weren't equipped to fight against magic. It wasn't their forte. Jayden thought it was highly amusing that Xandred probably considered himself equal to the Master, however.

"_Typical evil. Always thinking they're the worst out there." _

The tour of the Satoshi estate wrapped up quickly, as the Mystic Force Rangers were tired after their long day. The Samurai left and were able to get past the sentries without a problem. They were almost back to the Shiba House when Jayden noticed Emily was lagging behind. He slowed his pace until she caught up with him.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself." Emily seemed startled, as if he had interrupted her from a deep train of thought.

"What do you think?"

"About those Mystic Force Rangers?" Emily paused. "They're very nice," she finally continued, "and I think it will be good to have some allies."

"Yeah." Jayden nodded.

"Kyle's story was very sad." Emily continued. Jayden could tell she was studying his face intently.

"Mmm-hmm."

If she was expecting a different response, she didn't let on. "I think their whole story was very fascinating, and I loved seeing their estate."

"Yeah, it's quite different from our dojo."

"It will be good to have some allies." Emily repeated, as if she was trying to convince herself of something. The two continued in silence to the door of the Shiba house. Before they entered, Jayden stopped her.

"Emily, what's wrong?"

"Hmm?" Now she was playing the evasive game.

"Something is bothering you, I can tell."

"Well, you're very perceptive, Jayden." Emily sighed, then bit her lip. "I don't want this to sound bad but…" she trailed off.

"But.." Jayden prompted.

"I just… well, the Mystic Force Rangers are very skilled, right? They took down their opponents, no problem." Emily's words came out in a rush as she explained. "And I know Xandred doesn't know about them now, but he will eventually. And when that happens, they'll need to fight him. And, well…" she trailed off again.

"You think we won't be needed anymore." Jayden finished softly. The same fear had been bothering him too. He knew that Emily felt she constantly needed to prove herself. She thought of herself as the replacement, the stand-in, the substitute for Serena.

"_And I know exactly how that feels, too."_

Jayden shook his head. He was finding he could relate to a lot of people tonight. "I don't think that will happen, Em. It will be great to have the Ninja Rangers' help, and I'll definitely appreciate it. They have their own enemy, though. They'll have to fight him, as well."

Emily nodded. "If what Kyle said was true, though, I think we'll end up joining forces. Not that I mind," she added hastily. "I'd be glad to help the Ninja team, if they needed it, and I would be really grateful for their help, too."

"You just don't want to be a replacement. A substitute for the real thing."

"Yeah." Emily finally answered softly, blinking rapidly.

"I get it." Jayden nodded. "But I truly believe that we will benefit from an alliance with the Ninja team. We could learn from each other, and we are getting better every day. Xandred's power may be growing, but ours is too." He started to head inside, but stopped. "And don't worry, Em. You're not a replacement. You never will be."

Emily gave him a smile, small but genuine. "Thanks, Jay."

Mike awoke to the harmonious sound of the Gap Sensor screeching. _"Great. Just great. Nothing beats starting your morning by getting beat up."_

He stumbled into the living room, noting through his blurry vision that the other Samurai were there. "The signal is from the downtown area." Ji informed them.

"Is it our bad guys, or theirs?" Mia asked.

"Ours. Wait, hold it. I'm getting a strange signal."Ji frowned at the map. "Yep, there are probably Hidiacs there as well. Be careful."

"Let's go." Jayden instructed. The other Rangers followed him. Mike couldn't be sure, but he thought he heard Jayden mumble, "At least it's not that blasted rock quarry again." So lack of sleep made even the fearless leader grumpy.

"_You really do learn something new every day."_ Mike laughed to himself. They arrived at the downtown plaza, where a few dozen foot soldiers were milling around, terrorizing the citizens who were crazy enough to be awake at this time. The Samurai Rangers quickly faced off against the monsters. After a few minutes, they had successfully defeated the minions- Hidiacs included.

It was then that the Ninja Rangers showed up. They looked tired and annoyed.

"Thanks guys, but we had this one covered." Mike informed the other rangers. He respected the Rangers and thought they were very talented, but it felt good to reestablish control over the situation after that little comment the Red Ninja had made yesterday. Mike hadn't been greatly offended, but it did bother him that these Rangers seemed to think he was completely incapable of fighting evil in whatever form it chose to take.

"We were coming. We just got mixed up." The girl in white- Kasumi- snapped. "We did just get here yesterday. It's hard to find your way around this city."

"Good morning to you too." Mike replied. "Glad to see this fresh air and sunshine is keeping you cheerful and friendly."

Kasumi snarled. Mike suppressed a laugh.

"_She's easy to annoy."_ He thought.

"Mike, be nice." Mia chided gently as she joined the group. She turned to the Ninjas. "I'm sorry that you got lost. It's hard to navigate this city, but you'll catch on quickly." She smiled kindly at the new Rangers.

"What happened?" Their leader, Kyle, asked.

"Just a few Moogers and Hidiacs. Nothing we couldn't handle." Antonio spoke up.

"_Huh. So I'm not the only one who thinks that this Ranger team doesn't think we can measure up."_ Mike noted.

"That's good." Kyle finally replied. He shifted from foot to foot. An awkward tension rose between the two groups, as neither team could quite look at the other in the eye. Finally it was the Green Mystic Ranger, Kai, who broke the silence.

"We introduced ourselves the other day, but is there anything else?" He asked. "Why don't you tell us your powers, and a little bit about yourselves?"

Everyone relaxed. "Alright." Jayden nodded. "Well, my Zord is the Lion, and I have the symbol power of fire." He seemed to be satisfied in saying just this.

"_Red Rangers- always so mysterious."_ Mike shook his head. From the few hours he had known Kyle, he seemed to be very much like Jayden. _"These guys need to lighten up, have some fun! Life shouldn't be taken so seriously."_

Kevin continued. "My symbol power is Water and my Zord is the Dragon. I used to be a swimmer, in fact I was planning on trying out for the Olympic team, but my Samurai duties come first."

"The Olympics?" Naomi exclaimed. As the other Rangers turned to her, she blushed. "That's really neat." She finished softly.

Mia spoke up next. "I pilot the Turtle Zord, and my symbol power is Air. I love to sing and cook. Wait, I know!" She suddenly exclaimed. "You guys should come over for lunch! I'll cook a great meal!"

Mike tried to suppress a shudder. Mia's enthusiasm and kind heart was great, but her cooking was not.

Up next was Emily. "My symbol power is Earth, and I pilot the Ape Folding Zord. I'm actually here because my sister, Serena, who is the real Yellow Ranger, is sick." Emily forced a smile, trying to hide the fact that she didn't quite feel like she belonged.

Antonio continued. "My symbol power is Light, and my Zord is the Claw Zord."

"Wait." Yamato interrupted. "I thought there wasn't a Gold Samurai Ranger. The archives do not mention any in previous generations."

"Antonio actually created his morpher." Jayden explained. "He's a tech whiz; solves any technical problems we have."

"He's also a great cook." Mike cut in. "He'll have to help Mia when she cooks for you guys." _"So we can have something edible to eat."_

"I really love fishing." Antonio added. "There are some great lakes around here if any of you guys want to join me."

"Mike's the name, kicking Nighlok butt is my game." Mike rounded off the introductions. "I have the symbol power of Forest, and pilot the Bear Zord. I highly recommend you never challenge me to anything that playing video games will determine the winner, because, well," he shrugged. "You'd lose."

Kasumi rolled her eyes. Kai grinned. "I don't know. I'm pretty good at video games if I do say so myself. I'd like to see if your claim holds up."

"You're on!" Mike nodded at his Ninja counterpart.

"Hello, Rangers!" A loud voice boomed. The Rangers whirled around to see a hideous Nighlok leering at them. "I'm Shroom, and I am your DOOM!"

"Welcome to Panorama City: Where evil thinks it surpasses the terms 'witty' and 'clever'." Kevin shook his head. "Let's take him down."

"Want to help?" Jayden turned to the Rangers.

"You read my mind." Mariko whipped out her morpher.

"Ready guys," Kyle asked of his team from the front. The Ninjas nodded, their morphers at the ready.

"**Magical source, Mystic Force!"**

The two Ranger teams morphed, and began attacking the Nighlok.

It was not a pretty battle. Even though the rangers greatly outnumbered the Nighlok, it was pretty hard to fight fourteen to one- especially when you don't know the fighting style of half of your allies. This Nighlok also had the annoying habit of disappearing and reappearing in random places. The Rangers scrambled around, trying to land a decent blow on the Nighlok. Unfortunately they seemed to be doing more harm to each other.

Finally, two very fed-up Red Rangers pulled out their weapons. They were about to land a powerful strike when Shroom held up his hand. "What's this? Am I drying out? Oh no- we were having so much fun!" He laughed menacingly. "Later, Rangers." He disappeared into a gap.

The rangers bent over, trying to catch their breaths. "That was…interesting." Mia finally said. The teams were going to have to do something different if they wanted to work together. The question was… What?

"OCTOROO! GET OVER HERE IMMEDIATELY!"

Xandred was furious. He had just received Shroom's report, and from the looks of it, he now had FOURTEEN pesky Rangers to deal with.

"Yes, Master?" Octoroo appeared.

"I want to know WHY there are suddenly FOURTEEN Rangers in Panorama City!" Xandred shouted.

"I- I don't know Master." Octoroo finally responded.

Xandred closed his eyes, trying to control his rage. He was sure that releasing the Master would take care of those pesky Rangers once and for all- but he was not planning on fighting so many Rangers. Who were these new foes? Where did they come from? And why, why, WHY did every time Xandred came up with a brilliant new plan did something seem to be standing in his way?

"Uh, Master?" Octoroo spoke up timidly. "What do you want to do?"

"Nothing right now. For all we know, these new 'Rangers' could just be decoys running around in costumes." And if they weren't, well that was another issue. It was probably best, Xandred surmised, to act as if nothing had changed. If the Samurai did have new allies, let them think he knew nothing about them. It was better to give your enemy a false sense of security then to show your hand too early. "Koragg is coming later for a meeting. We will not mention these new Rangers. We don't want him to think that I don't have everything under control. Now, fetch me some medicine."

"Yes, Master Xandred." Octoroo scurried off. Xandred closed his eyes and sighed. _"I still have the power,"_ he reminded himself. _"Not to mention the secret weapon."_ He began to feel better. It didn't matter what the Samurai did, nor who their new friends were. In the end, Xandred would win. He would finally get what he always wanted. What he always deserved.

Power. Domination. The world.

All would be his.


	5. Chapter 4: Solutions

**Disclaimer: **Neither I nor Butterfly Dreamer767 owns Power Rangers, Saban does. Only the characters, events, and places not found in Mystic Force or Samurai.

**AN 1: **Don't forget that the chapters alternate between Mystic Force and Samurai. The previous chapter was the most recent Samurai chapter, and this is the latest Mystic Force chapter.

Chapter 4: Solutions

The Mystics got back home, and were unnerved. They knew that if they were to help the Samurai Rangers and vice versa, they'd have to be on the same page. Their showing earlier was not to their liking.

"So, what do we do? Our performance earlier cannot happen again," Mariko said.

Naomi had been thinking about it, and thought she had the solution. "If we were to have an alliance with them, we'd have to all work in concert," she said.

Kyle frowned. "True, but I'm not going to reveal secrets of our order by teaching a bunch of Samurai Ninjutsu! It'd take too long, and frankly, I'd rather we focus on defeating the Master. We're going to have our hands full with the forces of Koragg and the Master."

"Who said we had to teach them Ninjutsu? No, we can fight in sync without having to reveal some of our ways."

It finally dawned on Kyle. "They learned Kendo, same as us. We could use Kendo while fighting with them."

Naomi smiled. "That's right. Kendo, and maybe Aikido is what we have in common, and it wouldn't take long to get on the same page as them."

Kyle gave a thoughtful look to Naomi, then turned to Sensei. "Sensei, what do you think?"

Sensei Hatari sighed. "You're right in that you're going to have your hands full with the Morlock. However, the Samurai Rangers' enemy knows about you now. He may not know what we are, but there's no way he doesn't know we're here now. They have already attacked Kyle _twice_ now. Like it or not, they've drawn us into the Samurai Rangers' battle as well. It'd be wise to become friends with the Samurai Rangers."

Kasumi scoffed. "Yeah, well if that Green Ranger keeps up his game, I'll toss him into the fucking Lake of Lament!" She turned towards Kai. "You might want to keep that in mind, too."

Kai blanched at Kasumi's words. He made a mental note to not cross her. _"So pulling pranks on her is out of the question for the moment." _

Kyle sighed, and threw his head in his hands. "I guess you're right. If this Xandred wants to keep attacking us, we might as well become allies with the Samurai. But I still won't teach them Ninjutsu." He turned his head to Kasumi. "And Kasumi, you _really_ need to work on that temper of yours."

Kasumi tried to retort, but Kyle cut her off. "But nothing. We're going to have to work together, and that means being nice. I'll warn Mike to knock it off, but you have to work on that temper. If not for his sake, then for the sake of your own health."

Kasumi sighed heavily. She knew Kyle was right, but also thought of the irony of Kyle's statement when he clearly had a vendetta against the Master. But she thought it wise to not mention that. "Fine, I'll be nicer to him. But you can't expect me to play buddy-buddy with him!"

Kyle nodded. "Fair enough. Well, it's time to train. With our luck, there could be a Morlock attack today."

The Rangers groaned at the thought, but went to the main dojo anyway, where Clare was waiting to watch and gauge the Rangers' fighting prowess. Yamato paired off with Kasumi, Naomi and Haruna got together, Makoto and Kai paired off, and finally Kyle and Mariko went to the floor. Kai kept stealing glances at Clare, who smiled in return.

"Will you stop staring at Clare?" Makoto grumbled to Kai, whose attention snapped back to Makoto. He blushed immediately upon realizing that he had been caught. He then shook his head before the Darkness Mystic could continue. He and Makoto bowed towards each other, then began to spar. It wasn't long before Makoto brought Kai down, just as Haruna, Yamato, and Mariko were getting up after being knocked down by their opponents.

Just as Makoto was about to challenge Kyle, something caught his attention, and he started sniffing the air. Soon enough, his face crunched with disgust, while the others were wondering what their leader was doing.

"Good God, what is that horrible smell?" Kyle groaned.

The other Rangers, save for Yamato and Makoto, who had caught the offensive odor not long after Kyle did, were still lost.

"What are you talking about? How can you smell something we don't?" Mariko asked. She clearly didn't notice the Gold and Purple Rangers trying to fan the stench away, and they gave her an incredulous look. Kyle just looked at her.

"I have a feline Ninjetti spirit. With it comes the Tiger's heightened reflexes and senses, including the sense of smell."

"We smell it, too."

Mariko turned to Yamato and Makoto, who spoke in unison. "Well, what is it?" She was starting to get impatient.

Kyle turned to the Green Ranger. "Do you have anything with a sulfur smell? Say for a prank or two?"

Kai's face paled, as he knew now what had happened. "No, no, no!"

The Rangers who still have yet to catch the scent turned to Kyle, Yamato, and Makoto.

"So, what was that about?" Mariko asked.

"Stink bomb," was Kyle's response. Makoto and Yamato nodded, having been the unfortunate victims of a stink bomb prank before.

Mariko threw up her hands in exasperation, and groaned loudly.

"Seriously? Isn't that a bit juvenile?"

Kyle got a distant look as he started to remember something. He knew something had been bothering him ever since meeting the Samurai Rangers, in particular Jayden. The family name Shiba seemed to ring a bell in Kyle, but he didn't know why. But he was certain he had heard of Jayden's family before, back when he was still in Japan.

Mariko caught Kyle's pensive look, and waved a hand in front of his face.

"Hello, is anyone in there?"

Kyle snapped out of his reverie, and looked at Mariko.

"Sorry, what were you saying?"

Mariko tilted her head to the side. She had only seen Kyle like this once before-he was usually too busy to be too lost in thought as he was just now.

"Are you OK?" She asked.

Kyle rubbed the back of his neck. He still didn't know what was really bothering him, and he knew Mariko would see through any fib he came up with. He doesn't like lying to her, anyway. So he decided to be truthful with her.

"I'm not so sure. I know something's off, but I don't know what it is, or why I'm feeling this way."

Mariko knew Kyle well enough to realize that he would try to figure out what's going on, and she made a mental note to keep an eye on him. She didn't like not knowing any more than Kyle. For now, she was glad that he was at least honest with her, rather than him trying to say he was fine when he clearly wasn't.

"Well, I could help, if you want."

Kyle turned to look at her again. _"Help with what? I don't even know what's really the issue. Am I just worrying about something that's not even there?"_ He knew Mariko wouldn't leave it alone if he were disturbed; sometimes she was too observant for her own good.

"I may take you up on that. But I need to find out if I even have a reason to worry." Kyle exclaimed.

Mariko looked at Kyle, and sighed. At least she got something out of him, though.

Kai finally came back down after having disposed of his stink bombs. He looked despondent, having wanted to use them in some of his ploys. Yamato and Makoto just rolled their eyes as the Forest Ranger pouted at his loss.

"What are we doing now? We still sparring or what?" Kai wanted to get his mind off the stink bombs, and silently thanked having magic at his disposal to get rid of the smell.

"Yeah, we are. We should get back to it. The Master isn't going to rest until we're all dead."

"Gee, what a sunny disposition he has," Makoto grumbled. Kyle heard her comment and gave her a dry glare.

Kyle soon remembered why Jayden's family name sounded so familiar, and knew he'd have to ask his Samurai counterpart about it. Maybe later.

After about half an hour of sparring, Sensei ran into the main dojo.

"There is an attack in the city plaza." He stated. Kyle nodded.

"Let's go, guys."

**City plaza**

Just as the Mystics showed up, a bunch of Hidiacs and Styxoids appeared, while more were protecting a Morlock who was preparing a spike to pound into the ground.

"That's far enough!" Kyle spat, causing the Morlock to turn and snarl.

"I don't have time for you, Rangers. I've got work to do!" Kyle just shook his head.

"You guys ready?" The Mystics nodded, and whipped out their Mystic morphers.

"**Magical source, Mystic Force!"**

The fight was on. The Styxoids started firing their staffs at Makoto and Yamato, who merely flipped out of the way and attacked a nearby group of Hidiacs. Mariko, Kai, Kasumi, Naomi, and Haruna took on the rest of the Hidiacs and Styxoids, leaving the Morlock to Kyle, who promptly attacked. Kyle was getting the upper hand until he was knocked away by the hammer the Morlock was using. As Kyle was getting up, he noticed a red flash nearby, and he saw the foot soldiers of the Samurai Rangers' enemy leap into the fray with yet another monster.

"_Perfect! Just bloody perfect! What did the Samurai call those things again? No matter._"

Kyle got back up and once again attacked the Morlock, who was about to hammer the stake into the ground. This time, the Morlock was losing, and it looked like the end was near when the Hidiacs and Styxoids were finished off, and the Mystic Rangers started attacking. But then the Morlock's unexpected reinforcements entered the fray, immediately attacking the Mystics.

"I'm getting tired of these creeps!" Makoto grumbled, just as the Samurai Rangers were arriving right behind the Mystics.

"Yeah, why do they keep attacking us? We're not the Samurai Rangers." Mariko agreed.

"It matters not. Let's just get this done, so we can finish off the Morlock!" Kyle said.

"We'll take care of the Nighlok," Jayden announced as he and his team pulled up. Kyle turned his head and nodded, relieved that his team can focus on the Morlock once again.

The Mystics went after the Morlock once more, and as Kyle was about to kick it away, he saw a purple seal appear on the ground, as Koragg made his appearance. He promptly attacked the Rangers, Kyle in particular.

"Hello to you, too," Kyle snarled. Koragg said nothing, as he continued his attack, not able to get in a hit on Kyle. Koragg was impressed-this Red Ranger would be a worthy opponent indeed. Koragg leapt back and held his sword at the ready.

"You are quite formidable, Red Ranger. You will give me quite a battle next time we meet."

Kyle tilted his head to the side. Koragg couldn't possibly mean what Kyle thinks he's saying, right?

"I don't fight for the sake of fighting."

"But you will face me. And we will see who the better warrior is." With that, Koragg disappeared, and Kyle shook his head. He turned back to the Morlock, who was knocked down. Starting from the base of the blade, Kyle slid two fingers along the blade, setting it on fire. Both Ranger teams saw this, and quickly moved out of the way of the Red Mystic, who was now charging the Morlock.

"_Blazing Storm Slash!" _With that, Kyle flipped into the air, and slashed in a diagonal fashion, hitting the Morlock right in the chest, and he promptly fell and exploded.

The Rangers were whooping and hollering when Kyle cut them off. "Don't celebrate yet. It's not over."

"What do you mean?" Haruna asked.

In response, Kyle held up his hand, and silently counted down from 5. Sure enough, after the count ended, Koragg showed up, and uttered a spell. A purple symbol appeared under where the Morlock used to be, and a thirty-story version appeared.

"Whoa! What do we do now?" Mariko asked.

"It's Zord time. Follow the prompt on your morphers." They pressed the highlighted numbers, and colored symbols descended upon each Ranger, making them become as tall as the Morlock.

"Spirits of the Ancient Titans!"

The Rangers began the attack, just as the Samurai Rangers had entered their own Zord battle against the Nighlok that had also grown.

"Guys, in front of you sits a slot that you can put your weapon in, granting you use of it in Zord battles. You can channel your element through the weapon," Kyle explained. The Rangers nodded resolutely, and followed Kyle's lead. The battle was on again.

"Eight against one, that's no fair! Allow me to even the odds a bit!"

With that, he held his arms out, and on each side of the Morlock, another appeared. They promptly took out their weapons and attacked. Naomi, Haruna, and Kasumi took on one Morlock, Yamato, Makoto, and Kai took on another, and Kyle and Mariko took on the main Morlock, attacking relentlessly. Kyle's Inferno Katana appeared in his Zord's hand, as Mariko produced her Sky Tessens. Kyle sent a stream of flame to the Morlock, and Mariko sent it home with her Wind power. The Morlock growled menacingly and took out his war hammer, smashing Kyle and Mariko, who stumbled back. Mariko slashed the Morlock with her Tessen several times, and Kyle lit his Katana as Mariko got of the way.

"Inferno Katana! Final strike!" He delivered a savage slash to the Morlock, who promptly fell and exploded for the final time.

"Checkmate!" Kyle exclaimed, snapping his fingers. The Nighlok had also been destroyed, and both Ranger teams leapt down, demorphing in the process.

"Two battles in one day. Can we go home now?" Haruna moaned, as she looked as tired as the rest of the Rangers felt.

"Yeah, I have to start getting dinner ready." He turned to the Samurai Rangers. "You can come with, if you want. There are some things we have to talk about, apparently."

"Yes, we do," Jayden said.

The two teams went back to the Satoshi house, talking quietly along the way. As they walked inside, Emily asked what the Samurai team wanted to know.

"How long have you guys been training?"

"The Shinobi start training at a very young age; the others are all 19, or going onto 19. So they've been training for 16 years."

Jayden noticed how Kyle said _the others._ "And how long have you been training?"

"Eighteen years."

Jayden nodded, confirming what he had suspected. He and Kyle were a lot alike. The Samurai Rangers noted that he said the others were 19, and that they'd been training for 16 years. If they followed the same logic, that the Ninja started training at 3, then Kyle would have to be at least 21. The Yellow Samurai had a sinking feeling about this.

"So you've spent all your life training. Is that all you've done? Have you ever gone outside and played? Have you had a childhood?" Emily quietly asked.

"Too much work to be done for pastimes. That can come later, when the Master is dead."

At that, Haruna sadly shook her head; that was no way to live, and she now understood that Kyle never enjoyed the carefree times of childhood. She looked to Kyle's Samurai counterpart, and saw the same look in his eyes that Kyle had. She strongly suspected that the two Red Rangers were very similar, and made a note to ask the Samurai team about it.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to do some more training before getting started on dinner. And Jayden had asked if he could get some training done here, so he'll be tagging along. Oh, and Mike," he said, suddenly remembering something, "it wouldn't be wise for you to antagonize Kasumi; she can turn you into a Green popsicle, to say nothing of her fighting prowess." With that, the two Red Rangers left, leaving behind a thoroughly frightened Green Samurai. Haruna knew that it was now or never, and she turned to the rest of the Samurai and Mystic Force teams.

"Guys, a word please?" She led them into the rec. room and stopped.

"This can't be allowed to continue. If Kyle continues down this self-destructive path, he's going to burn himself out. Being committed to his Ninja and magic training is great, but forsaking his childhood for his training is another matter altogether. He needs to get out and actually enjoy himself." She then turned to the Samurai Rangers. "I also highly suspect that your Red is exactly like Kyle. I saw how he reacted while Kyle was talking about how long he'd been training. Is it safe to assume he also didn't have a childhood?" The Samurai team nodded, confirming Haruna's fears. "That's what I was afraid of. That has to stop. We need to get those two out of their houses and actually have some fun, even if it's just one weekend."

"Sounds great, but how do we do that?" The predictable question came from Mariko.

"That's where you come in, Mar. I'm hoping you'll be able to coax Kyle outside so we can enjoy ourselves, and he can have fun for once.

"What makes you think I'll be able to succeed?" Haruna just looked at Mariko in a knowing way.

"Even a blind man can see the two of you crazy about each other." She and the other Rangers lightly chuckled as the Sky Ninja blushed. Haruna continued. "You have the best chance of getting him outside without us having to resort to drastic measures. But should it come it, then just we'll go to Clare and Sensei and explain the situation, and pray they force Kyle to take some time off; no training at all during that time. Have him actually go outside. Once that happens, we'll think of something." She looked back to the Samurai Rangers. "And you guys should probably do the same. Ask your Mentor about getting Jayden out and having some fun. Maybe we can drag our Reds to the same place. If we're going to be working together, we might as well get to know each other, right? What better way than doing something fun?"

"You're not going to let this go, are you?" Naomi asked, speaking for the first time during the discussion.

"She's a Yellow; she's stubborn." Mariko cracked.

"Hey!" Both the Yellow Rangers cried out. The other Rangers laughed in a good-natured way at that, especially when the Earth Rangers started pouting. Haruna then turned back to the Samurai Rangers.

"Anyway," she said, after loudly clearing her throat to get everyone's attention, "I'm counting on you guys to get it done with your Red. I'll approach Sensei and Clare about us dragging Kyle out."

**Dojo**

Kyle had taken out a bo, and was doing some training with it, as he told Jayden that he could use whichever weapon he had training in. The Red Samurai chose another bo, and was working on his own kata. Kyle knew he had to ask sooner or later.

"Jayden." Kyle's Samurai counterpart turned to face him.

"Yes?"

"Ever since I heard your family name when you introduced yourselves, I had a nagging feeling of recognition. It finally dawned on me earlier today why I recognized the name. About 3 and half years ago, before I was summoned to the States, I was heading back home after a long day of training. To this day, I don't know how or why, but I ran across a Lauren Shiba. Does that name ring a bell?"

Jayden looked down, uncomfortable at the sudden development. He was grateful that the Fire Ninja was quiet when he asked that, so nobody else heard.

"You must not tell anyone else. They can't know at this time." Kyle nodded, and Jayden went on. "She's my older sister, and the true Red Ranger. She's training for a specific purpose, and when her training is complete, she's going to come here to replace me as leader of my team."

Kyle instantly understood why Jayden had sworn him to secrecy. Even if he hadn't sworn that he'd keep the secret, he would've done so; he knew it was hard enough for Jayden to keep this from his team. He nodded once more, silently saying that the secret is safe. They continued to train for about half an hour, then Kyle put his staff up, and said that he had to get started on dinner.

After cleaning up, and Kyle started to grill some salmon that he had been marinating overnight, he asked for the two teams to head into the living room. Sensei said he'd keep an eye on the fish while Kyle was talking to the teams; he knew what Kyle was about to talk about. Emily noticed that Jayden looked somewhat troubled, and wondered what had happened. She filed that away for later. Kyle interrupted her thoughts as he began to speak.

"I had wanted to focus only on the battle with the Morlock. I've been training my entire life for this battle. But it appears that your enemy is deadset on dragging us into your fight. It's abundantly clear that there's no way Xandred doesn't know of our presence here. He likely doesn't know what we are yet, but he knows we're here. If they really want to fight us, then it only makes sense for us to join forces. After all, it's now only a matter of time before the Master starts attacking you, as well."

"So you're not here to replace us?" Emily asked. Kyle shot an incredulous look to the Earth Samurai, who looked down, suddenly uncomfortable.

"Why would we do that? Our hands are already full with the Master; we can't take on two enemies by ourselves. And besides, just as you aren't trained to fight the Master, we're not trained to fight Xandred. We'd be out of our element, no pun intended."

With that, the Samurai let out a breath they didn't realize they were holding in. Now that they thought about it, their fear about being replaced was completely unfounded, and they felt more than a little foolish for making the assumption. It didn't appear that Kyle was the kind of person to say, 'I told you so," for which they were grateful.

Just as the Rangers were speaking, Clare came into the room, looking troubled.

"Clare? What's going on?" Kyle asked. Kai looked disturbed at Clare's facial expression.

"I was wondering how Koragg came back when Leanbow and Bowen, my uncle and cousin respectively, were the only people to bear the Koragg armor. So I called Rootcore, and spoke with both Leanbow and Bowen. It's obvious that neither are Koragg, and even Nikki, Leelee's mom and formerly Necrolai, the Queen of the Vampires, doesn't know who it is."

"But that's a good thing, is it not? That means that Koragg isn't a Human, as he was before." Kyle pointed out.

"Perhaps, but the fact that the new Koragg is a Morlock is cause for concern. The previous Koragg's pure, Human side was the reason why he didn't finish off your Briarwood based predecessors. With this Koragg being a Morlock, you must be very careful. Especially since he now seems to have taken a particular interest in you, Kyle."

Kyle scowled at that. "As I told him, I don't fight for the sake of fighting!"

"Yeah, well he may try to _force_ you to fight. Do not underestimate how underhanded and devious the Morlock can be."

"Duly noted." Kyle got up, and said he was going to get back to the kitchen to take over dinner preparations. The two Ranger teams continued to talk, with the Sky and Earth Rangers starting to bond quickly.

**Underworld, same time**

Koragg was getting ready to head off to a meeting with the Nighlok leader, Xandred, when a humanoid female with bat ears and wings appeared. She was Necrolai, the Queen of the Vampires.

"Koragg, I don't trust these 'Nighlok!'"

"And I do?" he questioned Necrolai. "I answer only to the Master, not these 'Nighlok.' I don't know what they want, but I'm about to find out."

Just as he was about to leave, the large, white circle glowed red and a giant yellow and red eye appeared in the circle. The ground shook, as Koragg listened intently to a telepathic message sent by the Master.

"It will be done, Master." With that, Koragg left, leaving behind a bewildered Necrolai.

As Koragg confidently strode through the Underworld and towards the Netherworld, Nighlok stopped to look at the Knight Wolf, wondering why a Morlock was in their territory. A few Nighlok attacked, only to be swiftly cut down by the Morlock Lieutenant. As he approached the location of the meeting, he wondered why the Master even bothered with these 'Nighlok' monstrosities, when they, in his opinion, were clearly inferior to the Morlock. But it wasn't his place to question the Master, and he'd follow his instructions to the letter. He arrived at a decrepit looking ship, and saw Xandred looking out at the water.

"I am here," Koragg said, getting straight to the point.

Xandred turned to look at the powerful Morlock.

"What are these new Rangers doing here, in _MY CITY?_ What are they, and where are they from?"

"They are sorcerers and Ninjas. The Mystic Force has always been the enemy of the Morlock."

Xandred blinked at that. He thought that his victory was at hand for sure when he released an evil that he felt was _almost, _but not quite, on par with his own. Now that he knew these new Rangers weren't just some ploy by the thrice-damned Samurai Rangers, he grew incensed.

"_Sorcerers? Ninjas?_ _When will things go my way? When will I be rid of the Rangers? I must win! I am the power in the world, and I deserve to rule! Nothing will stand in my way of ultimate victory!"_

Koragg silently watched the infuriated Xandred war with himself, and thought him a pathetic excuse for a warlord. He can't even handle a setback without acting like a child? How will he react when the Ninjas join forces with the Samurai, as is to be expected now that the Nighlok have repeatedly attacked the Ninjas?

"Fine! If the accursed Samurai want to play that way, then I can play that game too! We must join forces! With our combined power, the Rangers won't stand a chance!"

"The Master agrees that we won't win if we fight individually. For now, we'll have an alliance. But at the end of the day, the sorcerers are the Master's to kill. Not yours. We will fight with you, but remember what I said." With that, Koragg walked away, leaving behind a stunned Xandred, who was clearly not used to people walking away from him without being dismissed.

"_Don't get too comfortable," _Koragg thought. _"You will come in handy, but your usefulness can run out quickly._

Nothing will stand in the Master's way, Koragg knew. Xandred is just a puppet, nothing more. Dark magic will rule all realms, and these pitiful Nighlok will be ground into dust. But first, they have to get rid of the infernal Rangers.

"_Just wait until the Rangers __**and **__Xandred see what we have in store for them…"_ Once the Master is tired of Xandred and the Nighlok, Koragg and the Morlock will show them what **real** power is.

**AN 2: **I am sorry that it took me this long to get the next chapter up; I simply hit the wall.

**AN 3: **I have decided on the direction of the rewrite of my Ninja Storm story, and I hope to have the prologue up by the end of Saturday.


	6. Chapter 5: Proceed with caution

**Disclai****mer: **Neither I nor Butterfly Dreamer767 own Power Rangers, Saban does. All events, characters, and places not found in Mystic Force or Samurai are ours.

**AN 1: **Here is the latest Samurai chapter.

Chapter 5: Proceed with caution

The Samurai rangers returned to the Shiba dojo after their battle with Shroom to find a rather unhappy Ji waiting for them.

"Would you like to explain what just happened?"

The rangers cringed slightly. What had transpired was far from their greatest showing, to say the least. Not knowing the fighting style of the Ninja Rangers was hardly an excuse for the poor performance they had shown this morning. If they couldn't defeat a Nighlok with two teams, well- things weren't looking too good.

"Mentor, we are sorry." Jayden stepped forward. "Our performance earlier today is to none of our likings. And as leader, I did not take the initiative to teach my team how to fight alongside another team."

"It's not your fault!" Mia blurted out. "You didn't know that we would be in this situation."

"Mia is right. It is a rare occurrence to have two Ranger teams work together." Ji turned to face Jayden. "But you are also right Jayden. We were not prepared to work with another team. However, that is all in the past. Going forward, I would like you to be able to fight with these Ninja. Their evil and our evil may join forces against us. We need to be able to work together."

"So you want us to learn their fighting style?" Kevin asked.

"No, I do not, Kevin. From what I remember, Ninjutsu takes years to master. I'd rather we focus on something else." Ji frowned, thinking. "Ah- I bet they know Kendo. And I'm sure they also know Aikido. That is what we will employ. I want all of you to spend the next half-hour reviewing these fighting styles- then we will practice them."

"For how long?" Mike dared to ask.

"As long as we need to."

**Shiba Dojo- Two Hours Later**

"I hope that all this work will pay off." Antonio took a sip of water.

The rangers were currently taking a short break, having worked for two hours. They had run nearly every scenario they could think of and were finding that while they were not used to this style of fighting, it was not as difficult as they thought it would be to switch fighting styles.

"Looks like you're going to find out" Jayden said, coming out of the dojo. "Mentor told me the sensors have just located a Morlock and a Nighlok at the city plaza. Let's go."

**City Plaza**

The Samurai rangers arrived at the plaza to see their Ninja allies already morphed and engaged with the enemy.

"It looks like they had the same idea as us." Kevin nodded towards the Rangers. "They're fighting Kendo style."

"Good observation Kevin." Jayden nodded. "This should be easier than this morning." He jogged up to Kyle. "We'll take care of the Nighlok. You deal with the Morlock." Kyle nodded and sprinted away.

Jayden turned to his team. "Alright- ready?"

Everyone nodded.

**"GO GO SAMURAI!"**

Having successfully morphed, the Samurai attacked the foot soldiers and Nighlok Xandred had sent. They were having much more success than this morning.

"Well, well, it's our old friend Shroom." Mike sneered.

"That's right!" The Nighlok roared. "And I am-"

"Our doom" Mike interrupted. "Yeah, yeah, we get it."

"Do not mock me, mere mortal! I'll have you know-"

The Nighlok never got to finish his sentence, for while he was distracted, the other Rangers had combined their weapons and shot him. Shroom exploded in a grey fireball.

"I always preferred when they were silent." Antonio announced. "This one needed a hint."

The Ninja Rangers started cheering. Jayden could see that they had defeated the Morlock. "I wonder if the Morlock have a second life."

"It wouldn't surprise me." Kevin's words were drowned out by Shroom's evil cackling.

"I'm back Rangers! And you can't defeat me!"

"Crap." Mike said.

"What?" Emily asked him.

"He grew."

"And you're surprised by this?"

"Nope." Mike shook his head and grinned. "I was just hoping we'd get a bit of a break."

"Call up your Zords and combine them." Jayden instructed.

The Rangers followed his command, and after a few minutes of fighting and ignoring Shroom's awful jokes, they managed to fire off a clean shot and destroy him for good.

"Looks like we were his doom." Antonio cracked as they demorphed.

"Ugh. Do not go there." Mia groaned. "I've had my fill of lame bad guy jokes for today."

The Samurai headed over to the Ninja, who were making plans to return home. They looked exhausted from the two battles they had fought. Jayden could see that exhaustion mirrored on his own team's faces. It had been quite a day.

Kyle invited the Samurai over for dinner. "There are some things we have to talk about, apparently." He said.

"Yes, we do." Jayden replied.

**Satoshi House**

It hadn't taken long to return to the Satoshi house. Along the way, Mike and Kai had gotten into a discussion about the finer points of stink bombs and when to not use them. The other rangers talked about the training the Mystics had undergone. By the time they were at the Satoshi house Yamato and Makoto had each contributed their opinions regarding stink bombs and other such "childish pranks" as Makoto had put it. Mike was in the middle of recounting a very successful prank involving shaving cream and alarm clocks, when Kyle interrupted him.

"It wouldn't be very wise of you to antagonize Kasumi; she can turn you into a Green Popsicle, to say nothing of her fighting prowess." He told the green ranger. His warning was reinforced by Kasumi's ice-cold glare. Mike gulped. Neither Ranger looked very happy with him.

_"Guess my little joke was taken too seriously. Whoops."_

Jayden headed outside to train with Kyle. Haruna, who had a thoughtful expression on her face, called both teams into the rec. room. She proceeded to propose that they find a way to help Kyle stop training constantly and actually enjoy himself. Haruna pointed out the fact that if they were to work together, they should get to know each other. Both teams agreed that they should try and bring the stoic Red Rangers somewhere where they could relax and have fun. Having made a plan, the Rangers began discussing the Mystics' first week in Panorama City and how they were adjusting to the Ranger life.

"Hey, Mike, is everything okay?" Emily approached him. "You look upset."

"I just- I didn't mean to upset Kasumi earlier." Mike shook his head. "I was joking around- I didn't think she would take it too seriously."

"Maybe you should apologize and tell her what you told me." Emily gently suggested.

"I don't want to become an arctic dessert!"

Emily giggled at the normally suave Green Ranger. "You're overreacting Mike! Kasumi is very nice, I promise."

Mike frowned. "Fine, I'll apologize, but you're responsible for any injuries I may sustain." He walked up to the Ice Ranger and took a deep breath. "Kasumi? Listen. I-I'm sorry if my earlier teasing offended you. I was only joking around and didn't intend for anyone's feelings to be hurt."

The other rangers, who had overheard this apology, tried to hide their shocked expressions. They had not expected this level of maturity from Mike. Kasumi seemed surprised as well; her scowl that graced her features with Mike's approach slowly melted into a small smile. "Well, thank you for your apology, Mike." She finally said. "I forgive you."

The two quickly shook hands. Kasumi turned to talk to Naomi while Mike retreated back to the safety of his friends.

"See? I told you she was nice." Emily smiled at Mike.

"Yeah, you were right." Mike said with a thoughtful look on his face.

**Dojo**

Jayden grabbed a bo and began practicing. As he worked, he let the day's events replay in his mind. He tried to analyze every moment of the fight, looking for places he had been weak in and needed improvement. He was so deep in thought that he almost did not hear Kyle.

"Jayden?"

"Yes?"

"Ever since I heard your family name when you introduced yourselves, I had this nagging feeling of recognition. It finally dawned on me earlier today why I recognized the name. About three and a half years ago, before I was summoned to the States, I was heading back home after a long day of training. To this day, I don't know how or why, but I ran across a Lauren Shiba. Does that name ring a bell?"

Jayden froze. No. _"There's no way. She's supposed to be in hiding!_" He looked down, suddenly uncomfortable with the situation. He hadn't spoken directly to Lauren for five years, yet he was pretty sure the plan hadn't changed. So how did Kyle see her? Perhaps Kyle was mistaken. After all, Lauren Shiba could be a pretty common name, right?

Yet Jayden felt that the Lauren Shiba Kyle had met was indeed his sister. What do I say to him? Should I lie, or tell the truth? He was grateful that his counterpart had spoken quietly, so the others didn't hear him. You have to trust him. You're going to work together, right?

_"And that's what allies do: trust each other. Besides, there's no reason not to tell Kyle, he pretty much knows the truth."_

"You must not tell anyone else. They cannot know at this time." Jayden proceeded to explain the whole situation, feeling very relieved when Kyle promised not to tell anyone. He was thankful that the Fire Ninja understood his predicament- he wasn't so sure his team would be as understanding. Jayden didn't doubt the good character of his teammates- but he didn't know how they would react to deception.

_"It's too risky to find out."_

About a half-hour later, the two boys headed inside. Jayden was still thinking about the Lauren issue when Emily's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"You mean you're not here to replace us?"

Startled, he glanced up. Kyle had an incredulous look on his face. He quickly reassured Emily that no, that was absolutely not the reason the Mystics were here. Jayden felt his team and himself let out a breath. Their fears were unfounded. There was no reason to be worried or jealous. The Ninja team was here to fight their enemy- not to take over the Samurai Rangers' job.

_"I suppose it was a bit presumptuous of us to assume that they would replace us,"_ Jayden mused.

The rest of the evening went fairly well, with the two teams getting to know each other. At the end of the evening, Jayden overheard Haruna whispering something to Emily about "the plan", but other than slight curiosity, he gave it no other thought.

**Rainbow's End, One Week Later**

"There they are!" Antonio pointed over to the group of Ninja Rangers.

The Samurai hurried over to the group. "Hi guys!" Mia exclaimed. "I'm so happy that you could make it!"

Various greetings were exchanged. Most of the Mystics looked excited; they had probably never been to an amusement park before. Kyle looked a little annoyed and tense, but Naomi and Mariko were talking to him silently, trying to show him that it was a good thing he had taken a break from training.

"Hello Emily!" Haruna said cheerfully. She looked around at the group. "Wait, where is Jayden?" She frowned.

"Well…" Emily paused. "He isn't exactly here."

"I can see that." Yamato butted in. "Where, exactly, is he?"

Emily winced, remembering the conversation she had had with Jayden earlier that morning.

"Jayden, we're going to Rainbow's End with the Mystic Team today!"

"When was this decided?"

"Middle of the week. I told Antonio to tell you, he must have forgotten."

"Well, have fun."

"Wait- you're coming with us!"

"No, no I'm not."

"Well, then, pray tell, what will you be doing?"

"Training."

"Seriously Jayden!"

"Seriously Emily."

"You train every day, Jayden. You need a break."

"Nah, I'm good."

"Jayden, the entire Mystic Force team will be there. They'd probably think it very rude if you didn't show up."

"Well, I'm sorry, but I need to train."

"Ugh! Sometimes you are impossible, Jayden Shiba."

"Ok."

"Won't you please come?"

"Emily, I can't."

"…"

"Fine. I might come later. Maybe."

"Really?!"

"Maybe. I said maybe. And not a small maybe. It's a big maybe. Like probably not. But I might."

"That's fantastic! I mean… that's great. Thank you for your consideration."

"I'm sorry Emily. But I feel that I need to spend as much time as I can training."

"You know Jayden, it's healthy to go out and have some fun every once in a while."

"Mm-hmm."

"And it's not good to spend every moment of every day training."

"I know that. And I don't spend every moment training."

"I know Jayden. I just… I hope you'll come later."

It was the worst argument they had had yet- and they usually didn't argue. Emily had been the last resort; the other Rangers figured that if they couldn't convince Jayden to go, she surely could. However, Jayden had been adamant about staying home and training.

"He stayed home to train." Emily finally mumbled, not able to meet the Mystic Rangers' eyes.

"See!" Kyle turned to Haruna. "He didn't have to come, so why am I here? I need to train as well."

"You need to have fun." Haruna insisted. "It's not healthy to train all the time, Kyle."

"He said he might come later." Emily hurriedly added, hoping that another argument wouldn't escalate.

"Well." Mariko turned to Kyle. "We're all disappointed that he didn't show up, but we shouldn't let that stop our fun." The other Rangers nodded. "Lead on." She told the Samurai Rangers. "Hopefully Jayden will come, but until then, we may as well enjoy ourselves, no?"

Emily sighed with relief. Crisis averted. Hopefully, we can all have a fun afternoon.

We'll just have to proceed with caution.

**Shiba Dojo**

Jayden raised his sword. He had been trying to master a new maneuver for forty minutes now, but he couldn't get the timing right. He was frustrated and exhausted- his extra training efforts didn't seem to be paying off.

And he couldn't stop thinking about his earlier argument with Emily. Originally, when she proposed the idea of going to Rainbow's End he was all for it- until that nagging feeling that had been bothering him for the past few days returned in full force. He didn't want to worry Emily or his other teammates- but he felt that something was wrong. But the problem was he had no clue what could be wrong; this had him very concerned.

As he messed up the pattern again, he groaned. Perfect. Just perfect. Why can't I get anything right? He hurled his sword to the ground in anger.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the great Jayden Shiba."

Jayden whirled around at the familiar voice, instantly recognizing the speaker. He couldn't help but grin.

"I haven't seen you in a while."

"No, you haven't." The girl jumped down from the fence she had been standing on.

"How have you been?"

"Just fabulous." The girl gave a genuine smile. "And yourself?"

"Fabulous? That's new."

"Yes it is. I picked it up from a friend. But you're avoiding the question, Jayden." She tossed her light brown hair over her shoulder and sat down at the picnic table.

"I'm good." Jayden came over to sit down across from her.

"Really? Then why are you here training and not off with your team at that amusement park?"

"Well, I- Wait, how do you know where my team is?"

Her green eyes danced with laughter. "I know things, Jayden. That's something you should know by now."

"I guess you're right." Jayden shook his head.

"I still haven't met your team, by the way. They're never here when I come to visit."

"And somehow, I think that you plan it that way."

"Maybe." She was quiet for a moment. "So what are you worried about?"

"Huh?" Jayden looked up suddenly.

"I know you're worried about something Jayden. You have it written all over your face."

"It's rather freaky that you can tell exactly what someone is thinking." Jayden pretended to glare at her.

"I prefer to call it a gift." She waved her hand in the air. "So spill."

"Alright, I am worried about something- I just don't know what." Jayden frowned.

"It wouldn't have anything to do with that other Ranger team here in town, would it?" she asked. "Wait- please tell me there is another Ranger team here in town."

"There is." Jayden nodded.

"Good! 'Cause I thought there was, and then I wasn't sure, and then I was worried I was going crazy!" she laughed.

"How long have you been in town?"

"That's not important. Please continue."

"There's really nothing more to say. I just have this nagging feeling that something isn't right."

"I see." She was quiet for a few moments. "Yeah, I've heard around that a few people are worried. And not just in Panorama City."

"Have you been visiting other teams?"

"A few."

"Are you ever going to find a team of your own to join?"

"Someday. I prefer the way it is now- going around and helping where I am needed most."

"Ah, ever the independent spirit, I see." Jayden smiled. "I'm glad to see that some things haven't changed."

"We can't help who we've been, Jayden." She looked at him with a serious expression. "We can only affect who we are going to be."

"Are you alright?" Jayden asked gently.

"I suppose. I know I have been alright, and I know I will be alright…"

"What about right now?"

She smiled. "Honestly? I've been worse, I've been better, but- yeah, I'm alright."

The pair sat in silence for a few minutes.

"How's Lauren?" she finally asked.

"I haven't heard from her or of her for awhile, so I think everything's okay."

"What about that new Ranger team?"

"Oh, them? They're cool." Jayden spent a few minutes explaining the whole situation. He finished with telling her how Kyle knew about Lauren.

"You told him about Lauren? That must have been… difficult."

"Upset that you're not the only outsider who figured out the secret?"

"Me, upset? Never!" she laughed. "I thought you knew me better than that."

"I was just kidding."

"Jayden Shiba, making a joke? I think this team of yours is good for you."

Jayden stiffened slightly at the mention of his team. All his worries, all his fears came rushing back to him.

"Jayden?" The girl laid a hand on his wrist. "It's going to be okay, you know." He nodded quickly. "I mean it. I wouldn't say it if it weren't true." She stood up. "I need to go now- I enjoyed visiting with you. Tell Ji that I said hi." She began walking away, then stopped. "You should go be with your team, Jayden. It's the right thing to do." Her voice was soft, but determined.

Jayden looked down at the wooden table as a slight breeze began to blow. He knew she was right- he just didn't want to admit it. He spent a few moments staring at the table, trying to decide what to do. When he finally looked up, she had disappeared.

Jayden stood up and headed inside to change into street clothes. He had an amusement park to get to. He hoped that the other rangers wouldn't be too mad at him.

He would have to proceed with caution.

**The Woods, 15 Miles From the City Plaza**

"I wasn't expecting to see you here, Dayu."

Dayu stiffened at the sound of Dekker's voice. For some odd reason, Dekker had always made her nervous. She didn't know if it was the fact she felt she knew him in some distant way or that he was a half-Nighlok /half-Human; no other Nighlok could claim that.

"I didn't know you were going to be here either, Dekker."

Dekker laughed a low, menacing laugh. "So why are you here?"

"Well, if you must know, Master Xandred is in a terrible mood. His meeting with Koragg a week ago didn't exactly go as planned."

"He's still upset?"

"Master Xandred doesn't get over things easily. As I am sure you are well aware of." Dayu finished pointedly.

"Ah yes- he's realizing he doesn't have as much power in his little alliance as he thought he did." Dekker laughed again. "Pity. Although, we both know he hasn't been playing with a full hand."

"You don't think he would-"

"Hard to say." Dekker frowned. "It's worked in the past, but he was desperate."

"He's not desperate yet. And the last time he tried it, he was actually winning." Dayu pointed out.

"True." Dekker paused. "Well, we'll just have to see where this goes."

"Indeed we will. I do not doubt that this "Master" and his minions we are allied with are powerful." Dayu strummed her harmonium. "In fact, I would dare to venture a guess that they are perhaps more powerful than Xandred."

"Are you speaking out against Master Xandred?" Dayu thought she could detect a hint of gleeful malice in Dekker's voice.

"No, you idiot." Dayu tried to inflect as much annoyance in her voice as Nighlokly possible. "I'm just saying it would be wise to recognize what each side is bringing to the table."

"Well put." Dekker's sarcasm was obvious.

"You and I both know how to make deals. It has saved our lives many times over." Dayu felt something tugging at her mind, some strange memory that she couldn't quite grasp. She brushed it aside. "We are both loyal to Master Xandred; I am not denying that. But it is important to look at the big picture here. What is really going on? And how can we be sure that we are on the right side?"

Dayu could see from Dekker's expression that he found her point valid- but he still had some doubts. "Just to be clear, you're not suggesting that we-"

"No." Dayu's tone was firm. "I'm suggesting that we proceed with caution."

**AN 2: **I know I said the prologue to the Ninja Storm story would be up a couple weeks ago. I simply got swamped.


	7. Chapter 6: Return of old allies

**Disclaimer: **Neither I nor Butterfly Dreamer767 owns Power Rangers, Saban does. Only the characters, events, and places not found in Mystic Force or Samurai.

Chapter 6: Return of old allies

Kyle yawned as he got up and started to get ready for the day. He was a little annoyed that the others practically dragged him out to an amusement park, although he did admittedly have fun. It was nice to spend time with the team, especially Mariko. But he felt he should be focused on his training. The Master can attack at any moment, and he had to be ready.

Kyle sighed. He knew Haruna was behind yesterday's events, and that Mariko was the one who put things in motion. He appreciated it, really. And he knew he couldn't fight his growing feelings for Mariko much longer; he knew the beautiful Sky Ninja captivated him the moment he met her. Her scent drove him nuts, especially her hair.

Then there was the situation with his Tiger spirit. He already told the others that his animal spirit gave him the senses of the Tiger, but that also means he could sense when Mariko was aroused. That seemed to be the case when she and Kyle were working out together, and Kyle had to struggle to not growl when he was getting worked up around her himself. There was no doubt in his mind that the Tiger played a not so minor role in Kyle's struggles to contain his urges. Half the time he was tempted to drag Mariko off and take her right then and there. He couldn't help it; Mariko was the vision of beauty. Her long, toned legs showcased as she moved across the house with a grace equaling that of dancers, her tanned chest glistening with sweat when she wore a sports bra in her informal workouts, and that nice, pert ass sticking straight out as she bent over to pick up a napkin that fell. Kyle was almost certain that the Pink Ranger did that to break Kyle out of his normally controlled, stoic self. She had no idea how filthy his thoughts were before she even did that; he simply was trying to not act on them. He tried to meditate in order to clear his head of those thoughts, and usually it worked. But now, it stopped working. Kyle was close to snapping and just taking her off, shoving her against a wall, and taking her. Especially when she wore those form fitting tights that showed off those sexy legs and butt, and her raven hair whipping back when it fell across her face. The simplest things she did drove him crazy. He felt a now familiar feeling, and looked down. He sighed heavily.

"_Stop it, Kyle. You're the Red Ranger, and you have a mission. Sensei wouldn't approve."_

Kyle sighed again. That was bullshit, and he knew it. Truth was, Kyle was scared. He had never had a girlfriend before, as he had been training for his time as the Red Ranger his entire life. He didn't know the first thing about women, dating, or anything else of the kind. Here he was, a 21-year-old veteran Ranger and college graduate, and he was scared about something that should be straightforward, even though he knew in reality it was anything but.

Kyle couldn't help but wonder if Jayden had the same problem. It was no secret the Yellow and Pink Samurai Rangers were quite attractive themselves. But as soon as the term Pink Ranger entered his mind, his thoughts once again drifted towards Mariko, and how he wanted to have her. His latest dream had him fucking her out in the woods. He knew such thoughts weren't what one would normally expect from a Red Ranger, and it's certainly not what he'd expected from himself.

"I definitely need to take a cold shower."Kyle grumbled to himself.

**Afternoon-Fire dojo**

The Rangers had the day off, so everyone was either reading, watching TV, or talking quietly amongst themselves. Even the Samurai Rangers were over, having been given a scroll with the mark of Kyle's clan, thus allowing them passage to and from the Satoshi estate without having to deal with the sentries.

Kyle, however, opted to get in some more training, to Mariko's disappointment. However, Haruna had a devious plan to finally hook up the Red and Pink Rangers. She knew the reserved Kyle wouldn't really go for it, so he couldn't be made aware of it, and Mariko could just nudge him in the right direction with Haruna's help. The Earth Ninja told Mariko her plan, and the Sky Ninja was a bit skeptical. It was devious, adventurous, and definitely not something Kyle would be comfortable with. Haruna assured her best friend that it'd work, as long as Mariko managed to get Kyle into the bedroom. Sensei would soon be leaving for the rest of the weekend, as an old friend from Japan called him, wanting to catch up. Sensei would be staying the night at her place for the weekend. Clare was in Briarwood with her cousin Bowen and his wife Maddie. Both Clare and Sensei trusted Kyle, so they felt things would be fine left in his hands. Just as people were about to head out into the city, there was a knock on the door. Sensei got it, and saw a Fire Ninja standing there with two people who appeared to be in their mid thirties. One had short spiked black hair and wearing black while the other was a gorgeous blonde, who was wearing a pink shirt and shorts that showed off her long legs.

"Sensei, these two said they came here on Kyle's invitation." The Fire Ninja stated.

"They were. They have business here. You may return to your duties." With that, the sentry bowed and left.

Kyle was just stepping out of the Fire dojo when he saw the two visitors, and recognized them.

"Tommy, Kat, it's nice to see you again."

The two veteran Rangers smiled and greeted their friend, leaving two teams of bewildered Rangers.

"Uh Kyle, what's going on?" Haruna asked.

Kyle sighed as he saw nobody recognized the two. "You guys really need to learn your Ranger history. This is Dr. Tommy Oliver, and his wife Katherine. They're friends of mine, as well as Sensei. Tommy was the world's first Green Ranger, as well as the first evil Ranger. He also was the White Tiger Ranger, White Ninjetti Ranger, Red Zeo Ranger, first Red Turbo Ranger, and finally Black Dino Ranger. His wife Kat was the world's second Pink Ranger, second Pink Ninjetti Ranger, Pink Zeo Ranger, first Pink Turbo Ranger, and finally Pink Dino Ranger. I invited them over, as they wanted to meet the new team and also catch up."

"You never said anything about knowing them," Mariko said.

"It never came up. I was so worried about everything else, that it slipped my mind. Sorry."

"Anyway, we didn't come just to meet the new team. We come bearing gifts. If I may," Tommy asked, gesturing to the table. Kyle nodded. Tommy then set two items on the table, which were instantly recognized by Kyle and Sensei. At Kyle's questioning look, Tommy went into his explanation.

"Kat and I are officially retired from the Ranger business. We've both served for years, and we're not as quick as we once were. We also have a family now, as well as my teaching and digs, and Kat's work at the hospital. We simply don't have the time anymore to be Rangers, and it's a job best left to teenagers, anyway. That's why we've brought these items." He picked up a small dagger with buttons on it. Where it used to be Green there was now Red.

"This is the Dragon Dagger, used to call upon and control the mighty Dragonzord. I only entered the cockpit of the Dragonzord once, but you can do so to manually pilot the Zord, if you so desire. It's a tight space, though. The Dagger can also be used to summon the armor of the Dragon Ranger." Tommy then picked up the second object on the table. It was a saber with a small Tiger head on the end. The saber's hilt and Tiger head was Red.

"This is the enchanted saber known as Saba. Saba will assist you in battle as well as control the new Zord. With Saba, you can also summon the armor of the White Tiger Ranger."

"Wait, back up. New Zord?" Kyle repeated. Tommy and Kat smiled.

"Correct. It'll be showing up right about…now."

Sure enough, there was a loud roar heard in the distance. Tommy smiled once more.

"Please follow us. It's time for you to meet your new friend. Be sure to grab both Saba and the Dragon Dagger."

Kyle picked up his new weapons and followed Tommy. Kat stopped the group.

"Wait a minute, is it safe to leave your place unattended?"

"Nobody outside of the Fire Ninja and Ranger communities even knows of this place. There are also very powerful and ancient protection spells guarding these grounds. No evil, outside of the most powerful, can even set foot on these grounds. Even the Master would have a very difficult time trying to get through the spells. It's safe."

Satisfied with that answer, Tommy and Kat led the Ranger teams and Sensei to the cliff, where Kyle's new Zord was waiting. It was a sleek and aerodynamic Red Tiger. The Tigerzord had stripes on its sides. It roared once more.

"Behold: Tigerzord, Mark III, and the updated form of your Ninjetti Zord."

"Mark 3? What happened to the other two," Haruna asked.

"The first Tigerzord was destroyed by Rito Revolto, along with the rest of the Thunderzords. That forced us to venture to Phaedos for the Great Power, also known as the Ninjetti power. The second Tigerzord somehow disappeared, never to be seen or heard of again."

Kyle's eyes narrowed when he noticed the Samurai team shifting uncomfortably. Jayden noticed Kyle's reaction, and knew that his Shinobi counterpart was now suspicious of the Samurai team. Tommy and Kat also noticed the reactions, and knew something had to be up. Kyle made a mental note to inquire about the Samurai team's reaction when Tommy made that comment.

Tommy continued speaking. "We never found out what happened to the Tigerzord. Zordon and Alpha always believed that it had disappeared through a time portal. It's safe to assume the forces of evil don't have their hands on the Tigerzord, as it would've changed the course of history. So either it's still lost, or someone on the side of light has the Tigerzord." Tommy then turned to Kyle.

"There's a reason why you're receiving the updated Tigerzord and Dragonzord, and you're about to see why. First, morph and summon the Dragonzord."

Kyle quickly morphed, then raised the Dragon Dagger to his helmet. Playing the familiar tune, there was a shaking of the ground. Soon enough, the familiar form of the Dragonzord was seen, and it stopped right next to the Tigerzord. Tommy turned to Kyle.

"The Tigerzord and Dragonzord are now yours to command, Kyle. Now there's one last thing to do: Combine them."

That brought Kyle up short. "Combine them? I thought it wasn't possible."

The previous two Tigerzords didn't have the ability, yes. But the Mark III has been made with that in mind. The resulting combination will create the single pilot Megazord known as the Tiger-Draco Megazord."

Kyle nodded. "Tigerzord, Dragonzord, unite as one!" He said, crossing his fingers to symbolize the union.

The Tigerzord stood on its hind legs, and its head folded into its chest. Another head raised in its place.

The Dragonzord's chest and legs detached, leaving only the shoulders, arms, and head. The Tigerzord in Warrior Mode leapt and secured itself in the area where the Dragonzord's chest used to be. The shoulders formed a layer of armor, and the face descended on the Tigerzord, completing the transformation. The Dragonzord's chest and tail were by the side of the new Megazord, in the form of a drill.

Kyle leapt into the new Megazord.

"**Tiger-Draco Megazord!"**

Kyle noticed two slots in front of him.

"Red Ranger, place me in the slot on the left. The other slot is where one of your weapons will go so you can use a larger form in Megazord battle."

"Understood, Saba." He then did as instructed, placing his Inferno Katana in the right slot, and Saba in the left. A large version of the Inferno Katana appeared in the Megazord's hand.

Kyle grinned. "This is incredible." He looked around his new Megazord, and saw that it had orbs behind him that could be used as fireballs. He idly wondered if he could channel his own Fire into the orbs, making them even more powerful. He'd have to check it out later. But for now, he had the Megazord disassemble and leapt out of the Tigerzord.

Tommy nodded. "Kat and I enjoyed serving as Rangers, and we found each other due to our duties. But the time for us to step down has come. We'll answer the call in cases of extreme emergency, but we will no longer take on active Ranger powers when there are capable teams out there. We're looking at two such teams right now."

The Mystics and Samurai Rangers were touched that the one all previous teams call the "Greatest Ranger Ever" truly believed in them. But they now felt they had to live up to his praise. It gave the two Red Rangers even more reason to fight.

"We should get back to the house. I still have to get out of my Ninja uniform, and some of you wanted to go out. Can't do that if your wallets are at home." Kyle turned to face his new Zords. "I'll send the Tigerzord and Dragonzord to the Zord holding bay." He pressed a button on his morpher, and a large false wall in the forest opened up, allowing the Tigerzord and Dragonzord to enter and come to rest in vacant spots.

As soon as the Rangers got back to their new home, they saw the alert go off. They arrived in the command center, and saw that there were two separate attacks.

"It appears the Master and Xandred have become wise. The Morlock and Nighlok are attacking Panorama together. And there's also an attack in Harwood's City Square."

"Harwood," Naomi repeated. Kyle nodded.

"This location is equidistant from both Panorama and Harwood, and the Master did attack Harwood in the Great War, as well. He was trying to divide the forces of light, making it easier to win. That may have contributed to my parents' demise, as some of the team went to Harwood to hold of the Master's forces there." Kyle turned back to the globe.

"There are a great number of adversaries attacking Panorama. Naomi, Haruna, Kasumi, Yamato, Makoto, and Kai, go head off the Morlock and Styxoids attacking Panorama. Mariko and I will head to Harwood to take care of the Morlock there. Join us as soon as you can. And don't forget: There is an active Ranger team in Harwood, so expect contact when you join us."

"Another team?" Naomi asked.

"Evil is everywhere, and it is relentless," Kyle simply said. The Rangers looked at the globe, and saw there was indeed a Ranger team facing Styxoids and a Morlock. And they were struggling. The Samurai and assigned Mystics sighed, as they headed out to uproot the attacking Morlock and Nighlok forces in Panorama.

**Downtown Panorama**

The two groups of Rangers didn't have to look hard to find the Morlock and Nighlok forces. As soon as the Rangers were spotted, the Styxoids attacked, while the two Morlock and Nighlok tried to sneak behind the Rangers for a sucker punch. The Rangers were having none of it, as the Samurai Rangers turned and struck the offensive creatures with their swords. The Mystics finished off the Styxoids, having used their elements to make quick work of the creatures. They pulled out their weapons and immediately went after the Morlock, who responded with a sludge bomb. The bomb struck the Rangers, and they fell back.

"Ugh, this stuff reeks! What is it?" Makoto exclaimed.

"We have to be careful. Some chemicals can have a corrosive effect."

The Pink Samurai Ranger overheard that comment, and created a gust of air to negate the effects of the Morlock's sludge bomb.

"Thanks, Mia!" Naomi said. The Pink Samurai merely nodded as she got back to the battle against the Nighlok.

Both teams finished off their opponents, who didn't grow for once. But as soon as they were about to celebrate, they recalled that Kyle and Mariko were in Harwood. The Mystics told the Samurai Rangers to stand close to them, and both groups were teleported straight to Harwood.

**Harwood City Square**

In Harwood City Square, a Morlock and army of Styxoids were causing havoc when a group of 5 Rangers appeared. They were wearing Red, Pink, Yellow, Blue, and Black suits. They were the Megaforce Rangers.

Pink blinked. "What are those things?"

"Trouble, of course." Red merely responded. The Pink Ranger sighed-she was used to the Red Ranger's stoic demeanor. Still, he was better now than he used to be. He has been ever since they started dating, although he had lapses back into his reserved state at times.

"Styxoids, attack!" With the Morlock's order, the Styxoids immediately jumped into battle. The Megaforce Rangers fought hard, but saw that these creatures were stronger and smarter than the usual Loogies they fought. They were able to defeat the Styxoids, but not without taking some hard hits. The Morlock cackled as he casually strode forward.

"You beat the Styxoids, but can you handle me?"

The Rangers attacked as one, but the Morlock slammed a heavily clawed arm into them, sending them sprawling back. The Yellow and Black Rangers called on their weapons and seemed to get in a glancing hit, but the Morlock recovered and blasted them with an eye beam. He then turned to the other Rangers, who were trying to circle the Morlock, looking for a weakness. The Morlock blasted them, sending them down again.

"This thing is tough." Pink moaned.

"Give up yet?" the Morlock taunted.

"_Earth's Defenders, Never Surrender!"_ The Megaforce Rangers said in unison as they pulled themselves up. The Morlock smiled darkly.

"Suit yourselves." He tried blasting the Rangers again, only to have them tumble out of the way. Red and Pink used their weapons to get in a good hit, and the Morlock snarled.

"You'll pay for that." He slashed them both across the cross with his clawed arm, and did the same to the other Rangers, who were closing in for an attack.

"Say goodbye, Rangers!" As the Morlock closed in, the Megaforce Rangers tried to get back up, but couldn't. The Red Ranger finally was able to get to one knee, and pulled himself up. As he was about to attack, however, Red and Pink blurs ran past him and slammed into the Morlock.

"Gotcha!" Mariko exclaimed.

The Red Megaforce Ranger looked to his saviors, and saw a Red and Pink Ranger. Their outfits looked familiar, although he couldn't place them. The other Megaforce Rangers looked puzzled.

"Who's that?" The Yellow Ranger asked.

"I don't know, but they picked a great time to show up!" the Black Ranger exclaimed, still in pain.

The other Megaforce Rangers had managed to get to their feet by that point, but were dismayed to find an army of Loogies running towards them. Another group of foot soldiers that looked like skeletons were running straight for the mystery Rangers, who quickly attacked. The Morlock was fuming that he was stopped from killing the Megaforce Rangers, and ran towards the Red and Pink Mystics.

"Can't you let me have any fun?!"

Kyle simply frowned and said, "No."

The Morlock snarled, and attacked. Mariko immediately leapt into battle, as Kyle helped the Megaforce Rangers remain standing.

"Who are you?" The Red Megaforce Ranger asked.

"A friend. The rest of my team should be here momentarily to help finish off our opponent. But right now, it appears you have problems of your own," Kyle finished, as he saw a large, humanoid insect entering the fray. The Red Megaforce Ranger merely shook his head.

"Let's go, guys." With that, the Megaforce Rangers started the attack. Just as they did, the rest of the Mystic Force and Samurai Rangers appeared.

The Morlock stepped back as he saw 14 Mystic and Samurai Rangers.

"Let's even up the odds. Hidiacs, Moogers, attack!"

As soon as those words were said, two large groups of the foot soldiers appeared and the fight was on. The Rangers were surrounded, but fought back, using weapons and elements alike. Soon enough, the Rangers defeated their foes and got into their stances in front of the Morlock.

"_Strong as a tree! Green Mystic Ranger!"_

"_Fluid as the sea! Blue Mystic Ranger!"_

"_Sturdy as the Earth! Yellow Mystic Ranger!"_

"_Dark as the night! Purple Mystic Ranger!"_

"_Bright as the stars! Gold Mystic Ranger!"_

"_Frigid as the arctic! White Mystic Ranger!_

"_Ever changing as the Wind! Pink Mystic Ranger!"_

"_Fearsome as Fire! Red Mystic Ranger!"_

"_We call forth the magic! Power Rangers, Mystic Force!"_

The battle began. Ninja and Samurai alike attacked without mercy, although the Morlock managed to get in some good hits. He eventually exploded after Mariko used her Sky Tessen on him. As the Megaforce Rangers cautiously approached the Mystic Force and Samurai teams, a blue humanoid insect stood atop a building, looking down. It didn't escape the gaze of the Megaforce Rangers.

"What do you want, Vrak?" Troy, the Red Megaforce Ranger, asked.

"To destroy you, of course. I was hoping those creatures would've disposed of you, but I was mistaken. Zombats!" He snapped his fingers, and a group of hideous bats appeared, reviving the Warstar alien the Megaforce Rangers destroyed earlier.

As a thirty-story version of the Warstar alien appeared, the two Morlock and Nighlok that were destroyed also grew. The Mystic Rangers' morphers glowed, revealing they had received a new spell code.

"Time to take it to the Titans! We've received a new spell code, so let's use it." Kyle turned to the Samurai Rangers. "You know what to do. " The Samurai Rangers called on their Zords as the Mystics grew and combined.

"**Titan Megazord!"**

"Whoa, strange cockpit," Kai said, noticing the checkerboard pattern of the Megazord's cockpit. The Rangers stood behind what looked like the lower half of a pawn.

"It's a chessboard. We control the Megazord by making strategic moves," Kyle said, as he moved to the front and center of the board. The Rangers noticed the bottom part of the chess pieces had indentations where their weapons could be placed, creating a larger form for the Megazord to use.

"Kyle, may I?" Mariko asked, gesturing to the indentation on her chess piece.

"By all means."

Mariko put her Tessen in the slot, and they appeared in the Megazord's hands. The Morlock smashed its clawed hand into the Megazord, which stumbled back. Mariko channeled her Wind power and created a Pink tornado, throwing the Morlock across the battlefield. By the time he got up, the Megazord was there, and Mariko slashed the Morlock several times, making him fall to his knees.

"Kyle, finish him!"

Kyle placed his Inferno Katana in his chess piece's indentation, and a larger form appeared in the Megazord's hand.

"_Inferno Katana, final strike!" _The Katana was set on fire and slashed the Morlock, blowing it up as the Nighlok and Warstar alien were also destroyed.

The three Ranger teams leapt out of their Zords, with the Megaforce Rangers walking up to the Mystic and Samurai Rangers.

"Mind telling us who you are? And what those things were?" The Red Megaforce Ranger asked a bit forcefully.

The Pink Megaforce Ranger nudged the Red Ranger. "Troy, be nice!"

Kyle sighed. "Not here. We need to go somewhere private to talk about this. If you wish, we can bring you to our home." Kyle offered.

The Megaforce Rangers' morphers beeped at that moment, and the Red Ranger, Troy, answered. He walked away a bit to listen to Tensou and Gosei's call, then approached the two Ranger teams, who were already speaking with the rest of his own team.

"Gosei said we can bring you to the Command Center. He and Tensou would like to speak with both of the new teams. Stand close to us, and we'll teleport you to our base."

With that, the three Ranger teams were 'ported into the Command Center of the Megaforce Rangers. Along the walls on both sides of the main room were rows of what appeared to be action figure sized versions of all Ranger teams. Inside the south wall rested a giant tiki, with a small hyperactive robot going to and fro, looking both the mysterious Ranger teams over. Kyle and Jayden took off their helmets, and the other Rangers did the same when they saw that. The Megaforce Rangers chose to demorph.

"Rangers, I am Gosei, and the robot is my partner Tensou. We welcome you to the strategic command base of the Power Rangers Megaforce."

"Thank you, Gosei," both Kyle and Jayden said simultaneously. The Mystic and Samurai Rangers chuckled, with the Megaforce Rangers joining in. The three Red Rangers simply raised an eyebrow-they didn't find it so amusing.

"Oh crap, they're all alike," Kai grumbled.

"Kai, if you want to clean the house with a toothbrush, keep it up." Kyle responded.

Kai had the good sense to shut up.

"Rangers, could you tell us what happened?" Gosei asked. Kyle stepped forward.

"I am Kyle Satoshi, the leader of the Mystic Force Power Rangers. We have come together to face the Morlock threat, which is once again threatening to overtake the world. The previous Mystic Force Ranger team supposedly destroyed the Master, our adversary, but the enemy of the Samurai Rangers, who are also here, revived him. The Morlock threaten not only Panorama, but also Harwood. They may also attack Briarwood once more."

"So, that creature that attacked us earlier was one of these Morlock?" Emma, the Pink Megaforce Ranger, asked. Kyle nodded.

"That is correct. We apologize for their attack on Harwood. Now your enemy has seen all three teams, and will be unnerved."

"We'll worry about that. What was that other creature that attacked?" Troy asked.

Jayden stepped forward at that, introduced himself and his team, and explained the Nighlok threat, as well as what happened earlier that spilled over into Harwood. By the end of his explanation, the Megaforce Rangers were all worried.

"What are we going to do? We can't take on three threats! We already have problems with the Warstar!" The Pink Ranger rushed out.

"That's where we come in. The Morlock and Nighlok are our adversaries, and we'll try to keep them off your team's hands. However, there is no certainty they'll leave you alone, now that they know you exist."

Troy sighed. "Well, at least you're honest. What happens if they do attack?"

"We may have to join forces. It's not ideal, as both of our teams have to worry about both the Master and Xandred, now that the latter has dragged us into his war with the Samurai Rangers."

"However, there are benefits to that. You won't have to worry about taking on two, or perhaps three threats by yourselves. Also, while your element attacks aren't of the same nature as our own, we could offer assistance in that area. Who better to teach that than the Ninja, who have been using the elements for centuries? And the Samurai Rangers also utilize the elements, so they'd be of great help to you." Naomi added.

Troy looked at the two teams, and gave the matter consideration. It couldn't hurt to have help from those who use the elements naturally, as opposed to using the morphers. He also wanted to see his Ninja and Samurai counterparts in sparring, although he suspected that he wouldn't stand a chance against either.

"Oh, where are our manners? You introduced yourselves, but we didn't. I'm Emma Goodall." The Pink Megaforce Ranger started.

The rest of the Megaforce team introduced themselves, and gave the two Ranger teams the background on their own enemy, the Warstar. The Green and Black Rangers all observed Kyle, Jayden, and Troy, who were conversing with one another, and were unnerved by how eerily similar the Reds were.

"This is just wrong. What is it with Reds that they take everything so seriously?" Mike asked.

"Tell me about it. It's like they were grown in petri dishes, devoid of any emotion." Kai added.

"Believe it or not, Troy's actually better than he used to be." Jake said. This brought the Forest Rangers' attention to the Snake Ranger.

"Seriously?" Kai asked.

"Oh yeah," he confirmed. "Ever since he started going out with Emma, he's gotten **somewhat** better. He can still be stiff as a board sometimes, though." The Green and Black Rangers chuckled at that.

"You three knuckleheads do realize we can hear you, right?" Kyle said.

"You aren't exactly quiet with your whispering," Jayden added.

"Looks like Jake volunteered for an extra training session," Troy finished.

"Awww, man!" The Black Ranger griped. Mike and Kai couldn't help but crack up, bringing Kyle and Jayden's attention back to them. Sending a silent question to their Megaforce counterpart, who nodded in the affirmative, the Fire Rangers turned to their Forest Rangers.

"You two can join him," Kyle announced.

"**WHAT?!"** The Green Rangers sputtered.

"You were just as quick to shoot your mouths off." Jayden added.

"Although it'd be preferable if you didn't say anything, if you're going to disparage someone, at least have the decency to not do it in their presence. It's also not polite to laugh at one's misfortune." Troy finished.

The three Rangers groaned, and followed Troy to the training area he had set up outside the exit of the Command Center. It consisted of milk jugs hanging from trees, and various impediments set at different heights. Troy gave the three Rangers a blindfold, who put them on after groaning once more.

"Your objective is to use your other senses to evade the traps, or knock them away, if possible. A Ranger must always be fully aware of his or her surroundings. You may begin." Troy started to get the milk jugs swinging. The Rangers got smacked by the jugs, and started griping.

Kyle raised an eyebrow. "That's a pretty good training routine. I think I'll have my team use something like that."

Jayden nodded. "Agreed. Everyone could benefit from learning to use all their senses to their fullest. We too are going to start using it."

"It's why I set it up. I use it every day, and have the rest of the team use it at least 3 times a week. Now if only Jake, Kai, and Mike will realize that this isn't really a punishment, but an opportunity to improve." Troy said.

The Red Rangers noticed the rest of their teams have come out to join them.

"Take a good look at this, guys. We're all going to start using something like this very soon." Kyle announced.

"So you might as well observe and start getting used to it." Jayden said.

Eventually, the Green and Black Rangers started working together to negotiate Troy's obstacle course. It wasn't perfect, but it was a good start.

"OK, you may remove your blindfolds." The 3 Rangers did so, and saw they got through most of the course.

"Not bad for a first attempt in working as one. Not bad at all."

Emma saw this as her chance, and turned to the Mystics. "So you guys are Ninjas. Actual Ninjas, with the clan thing and everything."

Kyle nodded. "Yes, we are. All of us were born in Japan to Ninja clans, and raised in the way of the Ninja since we could walk."

"_Since they could walk?"_ Emma didn't like the sound of that. She was hesitant, but asked anyway. "So, what's it like? What's different from what you see in movies?"

"It's quite unlike that Hollywood crap." Emma winced at that. "There's so much that they get wrong, but we can't exactly come out and tell them that. A lot of people would not feel comfortable knowing the Shinobi still exists, especially here in the US. But one thing I can say is that the shuriken, or so-called 'Ninja star,' is not something we use as a killing weapon. It's used as a distraction, or to daze the opponent while the Ninja finishes the target off. And as for those of us who were born into the Ranger path, our training is even more grueling, as we have to train not only as Shinobi, but also as sorcerers."

That caught the attention of the rest of the Megaforce team.

"Sorcerers? They actually exist?" Jake exclaimed.

Kyle nodded. "A lot of what people assume to be mere legend or myth does exist. Some of the details are bullshit, but that doesn't mean the entities themselves are made up. There are vampires, yetis, and yes, even dragons. In fact, we have a dragon."

Jake's head was spinning. "Sorcerers, dragons…this is all so cool! "

Troy sighed, and Kyle shook his head. "Does he always act like a kid on a sugar high when he finds out about something like that?"

Troy nodded, and Gia groaned. "Yes, he does. It's quite annoying," the Yellow Megaforce Ranger grumbled.

Noah frowned. "I find it highly improbable that magic exists. It goes against everything science stands for."

"Your lack of belief is precisely why you wouldn't be able to utilize magic. We're not practitioners of cheap parlor tricks. This is actual sorcery." Makoto grumbled.

"Sometimes the wonder of a child is much more powerful than the analytical mind of an adult." Kyle added. Noah still looked unconvinced and was about to say something when his Samurai counterpart stopped them.

"Don't. I used to feel the same way you do, but we've actually seen them use magic, and they can do things that science is incapable of. It may seem improbable, but it is not impossible. Until recently, we thought the Shinobi merely faded into legend. Yet here stands several Ninja right now. Kyle is even wearing his Shinobi garb."

Noah did not want to accept Kevin's explanation, but knew he wouldn't win the battle anyway. Kasumi approached Mike, and asked if she could speak with him. Once outside, Kasumi turned to Mike. She sighed.

"I realize I may come across as acerbic, and our last encounter didn't help improve my image. My problem isn't with you exactly, but rather this situation. All my life, I'd been trained in the way of the Ninja. I couldn't have a normal life, and wasn't given an option. I always yearned to at least be able to go out and play with kids my age, but couldn't. This has affected me in ways few people know. I'm sorry that I blew up at you. I just don't know how to handle things. I also don't know if I'll even live up to my parents' expectations. My Sensei and team have all been great, as have my parents. But I still feel a lot of pressure to perform." 

As Mike listened to the Ice Ninja, he felt guilty for poking fun at someone who's obviously very insecure. He knew about Emily's issues, but it was now abundantly clear that Kasumi's issues ran much deeper. At least Emily hadn't been training her entire life and felt this way. The same could not be said for Kasumi. He admired how she acknowledged her deeply seeded fear and insecurities, and also how she apologized for her own actions.

"_She's a lot more interesting than I would've imagined,"_ he thought to himself. He thought the Ninjas were calm and collected, with the exception of Kyle's obvious vendetta against the Master, which unnerved him more than a little. But this talk with Kasumi showed a side that he never would've thought she had. And he also couldn't help but admit that she's quite beautiful. Her brown eyes seem to shine with her tears, which were threatening to fall. He suddenly found himself wanting to learn more about her, but for now resolved to stop her from crying.

"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable or upset. It was never my intention. Like Kai, I'm the kind of guy who's laid back, and makes jokes. I try to not anger people, but will work harder to not cross any lines with you. Thank you for confessing something that's quite personal. I promise I will not betray your confidence by telling anybody what you said. That is your secret to tell, not mine." He gave her arm a gentle squeeze, and she couldn't help but smile. He could've easily held her actions against her, but didn't. She admired that, and found that there was more to him than meets the eye.

"_Perhaps Sensei was right about not knowing what I may find."_ She thought back to her sendoff from the Ice Academy in Stone Canyon, when her Sensei told her that she might be surprised about what she may find if she actually opened up.

"_And once again, you were right, my friend." _Kasumi smiled, knowing that this was now behind them, and entered the Megaforce Rangers' Command Center.

"What was that all about?" Jayden asked Mike.

"Kasumi wanted to just apologize. She's quite an interesting person, it seems."

"Really? How so?" Mia asked. Mike bit his lip.

"That's really not my place to say. It's her secret to tell." With that, he left.

Haruna and Mariko were speaking with Gia and Emma, respectively when Kyle came in and said that the teams should think about heading back.

"We've seen your base operations, so it'll only be fair to let your team see our base." Kyle said.

"Maybe another time. I promised to take Emma out tonight, and I intend to make good on it." Troy stated.

"Alright then. We gave you our contact information, so don't hesitate to alert us if you need assistance."

With that, the Samurai and Mystic Force Rangers stood close together, and Kyle uttered a spell, teleporting them all out to the Satoshi house.

"This was supposed to be a day off. Can't evil take a break?" Mariko whined.

Kyle shrugged. "Sorry 'bout that, beautiful. They operate on their own schedule. It's still early afternoon, though. So there's time for everyone to do as they will."

As the two teams headed into the Satoshi house, Mariko couldn't help but smile in stunned silence at Kyle's affectionate nickname.

"_Maybe Haruna was right all along. There's still hope for Kyle." _

Haruna held back her chuckle as she saw the expression on Mariko's face, as did the other girls. They hadn't missed Kyle's comment, either.

"What?" Mariko asked. The Yellow and Pink Rangers didn't do a good job of wiping the smirks off their faces. Naomi spoke up.

"Oh nothing, _beautiful."_ At that, the other female Rangers cracked up, with even Makoto joining in. Mariko blushed at that.

"Gee, thanks," she mumbled.

"Oh, don't be like that. I told you he wasn't oblivious. He's just really reserved." Haruna said.

Mariko sighed. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Hey, now we know my plan has a chance of succeeding. Just follow my instructions, and it'll be good."

"What plan?" Naomi asked. Haruna turned to the other female Rangers and explained what she had in mind. She knew the hardest part would be getting Kyle to go along with it, but all Mariko had to do was coax Kyle into her room. The others thought about it, and they knew it likely stood the best chance.

"It could work," Naomi admitted.

"Anyway, Mar and I were supposed to explore the city. If you guys are free, want to come along? At least there'd be someone who knows the area, and we wouldn't get lost." Haruna said.

"Not a problem. We weren't doing anything better, anyway." Mia said.

"What are you going to do, Kyle?" Naomi asked. Kyle shrugged.

"I'm going to explore Harwood for awhile; I've lived in the area for 3 years, and I know nothing about it. Then maybe catch up on some reading."

With that said, he headed off to his room, and the female Rangers shrugged. They knew Kyle wouldn't stay out too long, so Haruna wasn't worried about him arriving too late to put her plan into action. If anything, it may play into her hands, as he'd be likely be too tired to protest. Sensei and Clare had left, so only the Rangers would be left tonight; Haruna couldn't have planned it better if she tried.

With the Rangers setting out to do their own thing, the Yellow Mystic hoped they were finished with Ranger duty for the day. She smiled, knowing her best friend accepted all stipulations of her plan. Mariko acknowledged that it would be interesting, and a little fun, to have her involved.

"_Better watch out, Kyle. You have no idea what we have in store for you." _ She smiled mischievously. This was going to be fun.

**AN: **I have the Rangers going to Phaedos for the Ninjetti power as opposed to the Desert of Despair for a reason. Do not expect to see Ninjor in this story, or its prequel, Ninja Storm: The Lost Elements, which I'll be getting around to updating soon.


End file.
